Benefits
by liketotescray
Summary: Wasn't it supposed to be the girl who develops feelings and ruins everything? Beast Boy's walking along a fine line, and he's never really had the best balance. BBRae
1. The Arrangement

I don't own the Teen Titans.

* * *

It had started on an ordinary day: the usual routine of morning training after breakfast, followed by the mundane task of apprehending a lower-level villain, and then hitting up the local pizza parlor for lunch. Then there was the afternoon training, and another alert. An early dinner came next, until the titans were finally gifted with a few hours of free time.

Beast Boy use to love his free time. He most often spent it playing video games with the robotic titan, or watching a nature documentary with the alien princess. Sometimes he'd even venture to the training room and spar with his leader a bit. If he wanted alone time, he'd head down to the arcade, or maybe even the local comic book store. Hell, sometimes he'd just fly around the city in the form of whatever bird he saw first, and let out some steam.

And sure, there was always the chance that an alert would eat up the few spare hours before bed, but it was rare. Despite villains being oh so villainous, most of Jump City's baddies did their damage during the day, leaving the evening to scheme and whatnot. And Beast Boy wasn't complaining - it was nice to have some time to relax after a hard day. And he loved spending time with his friends, without the immediate-danger thingy hanging over their heads.

But there was one teammate he rarely spent his free time with: Raven. She'd sometimes join Starfire and him for a movie, or make her tea during an intense gaming session with Cyborg. There were also the occasional times he'd bump into her leaving the training room, a light layer of sweat glistening on her pale skin after Robin had worked her half to death. But he never got to spend any time with _just _her, and that really bothered him.

But he knew the reason; it wouldn't benefit her. She saw movie-night with him and Starfire as a chance to learn something; she made her tea during his video game tournament to show Cyborg that she _did_, in fact, leave her room. And she only trained with Robin because their leader didn't want her to rely solely on her powers. Otherwise, her time was spent meditating, or reading, or doing whatever the heck she did when she wasn't doing what she usually would do.

And Beast Boy hated it. He hated the fact that he didn't have a thing with her; he hated that she would never seek out _his _company. He hated that she hated him.

Sure, she _claimed _to value his friendship; she'd _say _that she cared for his well-being. But did she _ever _laugh at his jokes? Or invite him to watch a movie with her and Starfire? Or ask him to join her and Cyborg when they worked on the T-car? Or even suggest training together with Robin? Nope.

Raven wanted nothing to do with him. At least, that's what he had thought.

It all started with a collision in the hall. Beast Boy had been making his way to the common room, intent on playing a few rounds of Mega-Monkeys with Cyborg, and Raven had been heading towards her room, probably to meditate. As usual, it had been Beast Boy's fault.

He hadn't been watching where he was going, so rounding the corner and colliding with the half-demon wasn't all that surprising. What _was _surprising, though, was her reaction.

They had both landed on their butts with a dull thud, Raven rubbing her forehead gingerly as Beast Boy tipped his head back and held his nose. If it hadn't been for the blood, he would have probably earned a verbal-lashing, but at the sight of the red liquid spilling down his face, the empath had let out a weary sigh.

"Let's get you cleaned up."

Beast Boy followed her towards the bathroom, using his free hand to catch the blood that dripped down his chin. If he hadn't been so preoccupied with saving the carpet from being stained, he probably would have noticed the labored breathing of his teammate, or the dull ache in her eyes.

Stepping into their shared bathroom, he watched as the empath lazily flipped on the lights, before turning on the faucet. He hopped onto the counter as she headed towards the cupboard, before returning with a dark blue washcloth. She then dampened it slightly and turned off the sink, before instructing the changeling to hold it to his throbbing nose.

Beast Boy complied, watching curiously as his teammate leaned against the closed door, crossing her arms and giving him a blank look.

"Tell me when it stops bleeding," she ordered dryly, her raspy voice filling the room.

"'Kay," Beast Boy replied, cringing slightly at the nasally sound of his voice._  
_

Raven continued to regard him absently, and he couldn't explain the uncomfortable atmosphere that began to settle in the room. It was awkward as hell, and he hated it. The lack of substance in their paper-thin friendship drove him crazy, and it was times like this when he realized they barely even knew each other, despite living together for three years.

They had gone through so much in those first couple of months, but as they grew up, they started to grow apart. Raven became more distant, and Beast Boy became less inclined to close the gap between them. He _wanted _to be close to her, but he couldn't take all the ups and downs, coupled with the snarky remarks and hostility. And sure, the times when they _did _get along made up for all the hardships, but those moments were rare.

Beast Boy tried to keep his mind from venturing further down that path, since it only ever brought him down. Instead, he directed his attention to his nose, pulling the cloth away hesitantly.

"I tink it's done bweeding," he announced quietly, again cringing at his voice.

Raven pushed herself off of the wall, giving his nose an inquisitive look. Seemingly satisfied with his observation, she took the bloody washcloth from his hands and turned the sink back on.

Beast Boy watched in silence as she rung out the cloth, his blood turning into a pinkish color as it mixed with the water and circled the drain.

Raven turned the sink off once more, before bringing the soaked washcloth to his face and wiping off the leftover blood. He could feel heat rising to his cheeks at her innocent, yet somewhat intimate act, and he waited awkwardly for her to finish.

Once she was satisfied that all the blood had been removed, she tossed the cloth into the sink, before bringing her hand to his nose. The changeling twitched slightly as her fingertips brushed the bridge, but whether it was from pain or embarrassment, he couldn't tell.

"Well, it's not broken," Raven deadpanned, applying a little more pressure.

Beast Boy squeezed his eyes shut as a burst of pain shot through him as she continued prodding his nose.

"Can you make it stop huwting?" he asked through clenched teeth.

A snort of amusement sounded from the half-demon, before the cooling-sensation of her healing powers began soothing the throbbing on his face. Opening his eyes cautiously, he observed the small smirk present on his teammate's face as she continued healing him.

He forgot how much he had missed her barely-there smile, and a wave of regret washed over him. How could he just let her drift away like that? She wasn't just his teammate; she was his _friend_. And yet, he had allowed her to pull away from him.

Raven slowly removed her hand from his face, her smirk disappearing as the dullness returned to her eyes. Beast Boy felt his heart clench as he took in her tired appearance, and began wondering what the cause of it was.

"The swelling should go down in a while," she informed him in her monotone while taking a step back.

"Thanks, Rae," Beast Boy replied tentatively, giving her a small smile.

Raven cocked her head to the side quizzically, another smirk surfacing on her face.

"Huh. You haven't called me that in a while," she mused.

Another pang of regret shot through Beast Boy as he realized the reason he hadn't used her hated nickname was because he barely even spoke to her anymore. His expression must have darkened at the thought, because the empath suddenly gave him a concerned look.

"What's wrong?"

Beast Boy observed his teammate's foreign expression with a heavy heart. How could he have let it go on this long? He had to fix it, somehow.

"What happened to us, Rae?"

Raven seemed to be taken aback by his question, for her brows almost joined her hairline. She shifted her weight from foot to foot as she tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "What do you mean?" she asked hesitantly.

Beast Boy tried to push away the embarrassment and get to the bottom of their problem, rather than continue on like not having a relationship with her didn't bother him.

"I mean, like, I know we were never best friends or anything, but we were at least _friends_. But now, it's like, I don't know, you can't even be in the same room as me," he explained quickly, feeling a blush rise to his cheeks. "I... I want to be your friend, Rae. I _need _to be. But... but it's like, you don't want me to, or something..."

He had successfully avoided her gaze during his rant, but as his words trailed off, he made the mistake of glancing up to see her reaction.

Her face was contorted into a mixture of confusion and hurt, and he was pretty sure he had never seen her willfully show that much emotion. And it hurt him even more.

"I..." she began shakily, her eyes darting between his uncertainly, "I hadn't realized I was... making you feel that way." She took a shuddering breath, breaking eye contact briefly. "I hadn't realized you... _cared_."

Beast Boy tried to shove down the anger her statement triggered in him as he directed his sights to his lap. Of _course _he cared! How could she think he didn't? She was an empath, wasn't she? Shouldn't she _feel _or _sense _his longing to be close to her again?

He wanted to get the answers to those questions, but knew that it would only lead to a fight. And that would only push her further away, so he couldn't risk that.

Letting out an exasperated sigh, he tried to carefully word his response. "O-of course I care, Rae," he began timidly, resuming eye contact. "I care about you, and though it probably doesn't seem like it, I try my hardest not to be a total pain. But... but for some reason, it's like you decided you wanted nothing to do with me. Like, your relationships with everyone else have gotten stronger, but ours has... vanished."

Raven slumped up against the door as he finished his rant, and he suddenly felt even worse. He wasn't trying to make her pity him, but he couldn't lie and say the distance didn't hurt.

The half-demon remained silent for several minutes, obviously weighing his words. Beast Boy was tempted to break the silence, but decided to give her the time to figure out how to word her response.

"I'm... sorry."

He was surprised by that; Raven _never _apologized. And if she did, she never _meant _it. But the wispy way her words slipped through her lips let him know she really was sorry.

"I just want to know _why_, Raven," he replied quietly. "What happened?"

He was scared that he may have pushed her too far; that he was asking too much of her. But to his bitter delight, the empath released a weary sigh, before meeting his gaze once more.

"I haven't... needed you," she whispered.

Beast Boy swore his heart stopped beating; that his lungs had collapsed. He must have passed out from blood loss or something, and this was just a horrible nightmare. Because there was no way Raven had said that to him - even _she _wasn't that cruel.

"W-what?"

A look or horror passed over Raven's face, and within seconds she was standing before him, a pleading look in her eyes.

"No, no, Beast Boy - not like that! I didn't mean it like that," she insisted, disregarding the dried blood on his hands as she clasped them in her own.

He wasn't sure what other way she could have meant it, but decided to remain silent and allow her to explain herself.

"That came out wrong," she continued, somewhat panicky. "I don't know how to explain it, but it isn't your fault."

Beast Boy allowed her to hold his hands, though he left them limp. He felt like his heart was breaking as he stared into the dullness of her eyes.

"I don't understand," he replied dryly.

Raven's grip tightened slightly, and he could see the doubt etched across her face as she attempted to explain to him what she had meant.

"It's complicated..." she began, her eyes glazing over slightly. "I've been experiencing more... emotional freedom, if you will. And... and I've needed safe ways to outlet it."

Beast Boy nodded his head absently, unsure of where she was going.

"And there's different ways to deal with each emotion. Like, if I'm feeling down, I'll seek out Starfire. She's the best at uplifting spirits - even mine. So I'll watch a movie with her, or let her braid my hair. Whatever helps to release the feelings safely.

"And if I'm feeling restless, or angry, training with Robin is the easiest solution. I can hit and kick and rage all I want, and not only am I improving physically; I'm mentally channeling my anger into something productive."

Beast Boy was beginning to understand, but still couldn't shake the feeling of uselessness as his teammate continued.

"And if I want to exercise my mind; you know, quiet my curiosity or the need to learn, I'll seek out Cyborg. He always has little projects that keep me busy, and allow me to vent out my more intellectual feelings."

He waited for her to continue, and was somewhat disappointed when she began to withdraw her hands. He wanted to grab them and keep her close, but couldn't find the willpower.

"And when I just want to feel... good, I try to hang out with all of you. Whether it's training or eating - whatever brings us all together. Which I need _you _for, obviously," she mused, giving him a small smile. "I just... I didn't want to burden you. I hadn't realized it was affecting you so much."

Beast Boy nodded slowly, feeling a little better after hearing her explanation, but not returning her smile. He'd be lying if he said it still didn't hurt; the fact that she didn't need him for anything.

There had to be at least _something _she wasn't able to express properly - _something _that she'd need him for.

"Is there really... _nothing _you'd need me for?" he asked hesitantly. "There's _nothing _that I could help with?"

He had expected another apology, or some lame excuse of how he had helped so much already. But what he hadn't expected was the silence that enveloped between them as his teammate's face turned bright red.

"There's - I mean, I wouldn't expect you to... It's not like..." Raven was never one to trip over her words that badly, and it captured Beast Boy's attention immediately. There was obviously _something _that she needed him for - she was just too scared to ask.

"If there's anything I can do, tell me," he pleaded, feeling a spark of hope ignite in his chest at the prospect of regaining their friendship.

Raven regarded him with a skeptical look, before relenting. "I'm a girl, Beast Boy. A _teenaged _girl."

The changeling cocked his head to the side in confusion as he clasped his hands together in his lap. "Uh, I know?" he replied quizzically.

Raven's blush only deepened, and she again tucked a few stray pieces of hair behind her ear as she avoided his gaze. "And teenaged girls - well, teenagers in _general _\- have certain... _feelings _that need to be expressed."

"Uh huh?" Beast Boy responded awkwardly, still not following along.

Raven huffed in frustration, crossing her arms over her chest. "And these... _feelings _don't just go away. These... _needs _\- they can fester, and build, and then eventually explode. And if _I _bottle up all of it, then I might _literally _explode. The city."

The changeling unclasped his hands as he ruffled his green hair timidly. He honestly had no idea what Raven was talking about - he wasn't even sure if she was still speaking English.

Obviously sensing his confusion, Raven let out an irritated shriek, before doing something that Beast Boy would classify under _completely and utterly insane_.

In one fluid motion, she stepped closer to him, cupped his face, and crashed her lips against his. Beast Boy felt as if time had stopped as his eyes widened comically. He could feel his face turning bright red as the seconds ticked by, and he didn't dare to breathe.

Raven was kissing him. On the lips. _Willingly_.

It had to have been the weirdest, most confusing thing that had ever happened to him.

It must have lasted no longer than ten seconds, but Beast Boy felt as if it had been hours. As the empath pulled away, he could see the realization of what she had done dawn upon her face.

It took her a few moments longer to compose herself, but she eventually took a step back, before pulling up her hood to conceal her burning blush.

"Obviously I had a lapse of judgement, and would never _actually _expect you to help me with releasing... _those _kind of feelings," she deadpanned, her eyes avoiding his.

Beast Boy continued to stare at her, completely dumbstruck. He wasn't stupid; he _knew _Raven didn't... _like _him like that. She was just looking for a way to outlet those emotions safely. And for some strange reason, she had chosen to do so, with _him_.

"Uh," he started blankly, but Raven quickly cut him off.

"I'd prefer if we kept this little incident between us - I don't want to subject the others to my embarrassment. And I know you want to help, but this obviously makes you uncomfortable, so don't feel bad that - "

"I want to help." He was surprised he had had the nerve to cut her off, as well as what he had said when doing so.

Raven seemed just as shocked, though her hood was obscuring most of her face in the shadows. But still, he could tell she was surprised as well.

"_What?_"

Swallowing nervously, Beast Boy gave his teammate a sheepish smile. "W-what I mean, is, uh... this is obviously something that's affecting you, and if you need someone you can trust to, uh, sort it all out with you... I'm willing to help. I _want _to help."

Raven regarded him skeptically, obviously suspicious of his sudden willingness. "What do you mean, you _want _to help?"

Feeling himself blush harder - if that was even possible - Beast Boy quickly tried to amend his statement. "I-I mean, like, I miss being your friend, and I want to help you out - 'cuz that's what friends do. _Friends. _I don't want to just do this, to, you know, do it - I want to do it 'cuz it'll help you. I mean, I don't see you in that way, and you obviously don't see me like that, either, so it shouldn't be such a big deal," he explained with an awkward shrug, before a cheeky smile sprouted on his lips. "And if helping you means we gotta makeout occasionally, I'm down for the cause."

Raven shot him a fierce glare at that last statement, but made no comment on it. "You're willing to be, ugh, what did Starfire call it... _friends with benefits_... with _me?_"

Beast Boy sighed in relief that his little joke hadn't pissed her off, before giving her a small smile. "If it means we're _friends_, then, yeah. I'm totally willing."

He watched as Raven debated his offer in her mind, obviously weighing the pros and cons. He honestly wasn't so sure of the idea, but Raven had excellent judgement, and if she couldn't find any consequences with the plan, then there probably wasn't any.

"Alright," Raven breathed, after a few moments of silence. "But I think it goes without saying that this little... _arrangement _of ours is kept _strictly _between us. Deal?"

She held her hand towards him cautiously, and he could sense she was still a little hesitant with the whole idea. Feeling a devious grin spread across his lips, he grabbed her hand and quickly pulled her closer.

"Shouldn't we kiss on it?" he teased, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

Raven gave him an unamused look, before pulling her hand from his and smacking him on the back of the head.

"Don't make me_ actually _break your nose, Beast Boy."

* * *

So I typed this up a while ago, and was adamant on not posting it until at least one of my other stories was finished, but I really want to branch out of my comfort zone, and I feel like this topic could get really serious and gritty if I let it, so I was like what the hell, I'll see how I do! Hopefully I can keep it from getting too light-hearted (though my writing is on the lighter side in general). Hey, maybe I can make this all angst-y or whatever!

Anywhoo, if you like where this could potentially end up, let me know! Reviews are really appreciated - especially since I'm still a little hesitant on expanding outside of humor and fluff (though there will be plenty mixed in!)


	2. Ground Rules

Disclaimer: blah blah blah Teen Titans

* * *

Nothing much had happened in the first couple of days. Both their routines stayed basically the same, and Raven never approached him for "help." But she was acknowledging him. If he gave her a small smile, she'd return it. If he gave her a big smile, she'd roll her eyes. It felt like things were getting back to normal - back to when they were friends.

Beast Boy had to have been the only guy in the whole universe who was more excited for the "friends" aspect than the "benefits." He knew that he had missed Raven, but he hadn't realized how much. Despite her cold demeanor and biting remarks, she was actually pretty fun to be around. Her deadpan humor always brought a grin to his face, and her sarcasm was one of a kind. He couldn't explain how happy being her friend made him.

But don't get him wrong; he was kind of looking forward to the benefits. He was a healthy teenage boy, after all. And Raven was pretty cute, if he were to be honest. He wasn't sure _what _Raven was going to need from him, but he was willing to find his limit. He was also a little bitter about her surprise attack in the bathroom. If he had known she was going in for a kiss, he probably would have done something. Like, maybe move his lips, or grab her waist, or do something horribly cheesy like in the bad rom-coms Starfire forced the team to watch.

But let's be honest for a second - and you didn't hear this from _him_ \- Beast Boy _might _not have been the most _experienced _seventeen year old around. Though you couldn't really blame him. Being a superhero was a full-time job; one that ate up _a lot _of time. So he couldn't very well go out on the town and find himself a girlfriend. And dating another superhero? Yeah, he had made an attempt, and it _really _didn't turn out well. But this thing with Raven; it had potential. Not in the whole "dating" thing, but it could be considered practice for when he finally got a girlfriend. And it really didn't hurt that Raven would keep everything on the down-low - no matter how potentially horrible Beast Boy's kissing skills may or may not be at first.

There were obviously a few drawbacks, of course. Like, what if Raven developed feelings for him? He had seen plenty of Starfire's movies - and the girl _always _ruined it for the dude. And Beast Boy really didn't want to break Raven's heart.

But at that thought, the changeling realized something horrible; he _could _potentially hurt Raven. And he'd _never _want to do that. He had seen how devastated she had been after Malchior the douche-dragon broke her heart, and he couldn't stand to do the same.

Maybe this was a bad idea?

Beast Boy was sitting on the common room couch, no longer enjoying the cheesy, made-for-TV zombie movie on the screen. No, he was a little preoccupied with staring in horror at nothing in particular as all the potentially disastrous outcomes that his and Raven's agreement could have ran through his head.

How had she _not _realized what a _terrible _idea this really was?

He idly heard the doors hiss open from behind him, and with an habitual sniff, he recognized the ashy-herby smell of his teammate.

"Oh, there you are."

He could literally feel the color drain from his face as her approaching footsteps became louder and louder, until she made her way around the couch and sat down beside him.

Like, _right _beside him.

He could see from the corner of his eye as she stared at him quizzically, before glancing at the TV, and then back to him.

"Don't tell me this movie is _actually _scaring you?"

Beast Boy attempted to compose himself as he tore his eyes from the screen and his thoughts from where they had been.

"Eh, no, it's not," he laughed awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. He tried not to look her directly in the eyes, but realized that he had to seem normal. Steeling his nerves, he locked gazes with hers, and was surprised to see the dullness from a few days prior had returned to her irises. After their spontaneous kiss, he had noticed that the usual gleam had been restored. But now her eyes looked... empty, or something.

"Are you feeling okay?" he asked hesitantly, resisting the urge to flee as she scooted a little closer.

"Actually," she began tentatively, her words moving slowly through her lips, "I kind of need you a bit, if you're not too busy.

Beast Boy felt the color return to his face, joined by a fierce blush. "Uh, right now?" he asked meekly.

If she noticed his hesitance, she made no indication to it as she gave him an annoyed glare.

"Yes, _right now_, obviously," she deadpanned, before pushing her side against his and grabbing his arm. He watched in confusion as she laced it over her shoulders, before settling into a more comfortable position. "Since everyone's out of the tower, I figured now would be the opportune time to lay down all the ground rules."

Beast Boy absently wondered where everyone had gone off to, but soon the realization of what he was doing hit him full-force; he was _cuddling _with _Raven_. Was this _really _what she needed? He was expecting a heated makeout session, or something.

"Ground rules?" he repeated quietly, trying to keep his focus on what she was saying, rather than what they were doing. But _cuddling? __Seriously?_

"Yes - rules that you will abide by to ensure that this little... 'experiment' of ours goes off without a hitch. Are you following?"

Beast Boy ignored her patronizing tone as he nodded in understanding.

"Great. Okay, well, first of all - _I _only come to you. Got it?" she began, giving him a pointed look. "I don't care if you're bored or lonely or... _whatever_. This obviously isn't very conventional, and is just a means of releasing my more persistent emotions safely. Do you understand?"

The changeling gave her a curt nod, feeling a little embarrassed at what she had been insinuating, though making no show of it.

"Good," she smirked, before continuing, "Also, we move at my pace, but you have every right to stop me if you feel the need to. Though this arrangement of ours was made to benefit _me_, I don't want you to feel obligated to go further than you're comfortable with. And to be honest, though these emotions are rather pushy, I am not planning on doing much more than what we have already done."

_Seriously? _Beast Boy thought bitterly, feeling a little disappointed. Though he didn't want to hurt her, he was expecting a little more _benefits _than that. But instead of voicing his opinion out loud, he gave her another quick nod.

"And I'd appreciate it if you didn't question me about anything in regards to this. I don't want to explain myself every time I need you. Not only does it feel demeaning - it's rather embarrassing. But feel free to ask any questions you have right now. I want to get them all out of the way."

Beast Boy had about a million questions, but he tried to narrow them down to the important ones.

"Uh, okay," he began timidly, feeling his blush deepen as he gave her a sideways glance. "I know that, uh, your emotions need outlets or whatever, but... what particular emotion is wanting us to... cuddle?"

He could see a light blush surface across Raven's face, but she held her ground. "A very _annoying _emotion."

Beast Boy nodded absently, though he wasn't satisfied with her answer. "Care to elaborate?"

She shot him a sideways glare, before letting out an exasperated sigh. "Well, this particular emotion holds a part of me that _might _be a little fond of the idea of a boyfriend. But don't worry - this little exercise of ours allows me to release my emotions, without necessarily _feeling _them, if that makes sense?"

Beast Boy tried to contain his blush as he weighed her words in his head. "Uhm, it doesn't, really," he admitted sheepishly.

Raven let out another sigh as she snuggled closer to him. "Okay, let me try to put this in a way _you'll _understand," she drawled, ignoring his offended huff. "Well, when I'm sparring with Robin, I'm releasing my anger, right? But I'm not angry _with Robin _\- he's just helping me to vent out the emotions in a productive way. So, although I'm technically _experiencing_ the emotions, I'm not actually _feeling _them."

Beast Boy was slowly beginning to catch on, which made him feel a hundred times better. Just because Raven was allowing her emotions to surface more, didn't mean they were affecting the way she was thinking. Meaning that she probably wouldn't develop feelings for him, as long as he didn't do anything to change her opinion of him.

"I think I get it now," he replied, a satisfied smirk resting on his lips. He heard her mutter an irritated "finally" under her breath, but decided to ignore it as he asked his next question.

"Okay, well, how often are you gonna... _need _me?"

He waited somewhat impatiently as Raven took a few moments to ponder over his question.

"To be honest, I have no idea," she began, somewhat timidly. "I mean, I've never really released these particular emotions before, so I have no guarantee of their consistency. I might go days without needing your assistance, or I might need you multiple times in _one _day. It won't be routine - that's for sure."

Beast Boy weighed her words carefully, realizing that she was probably going to show up unexpectedly, and probably not at the best times. But he wanted to help her, so he decided that it didn't bother him too much. As long as she didn't eat up _all _of his free time, then he was fine with it.

"Well, I guess that's okay," he agreed, giving her a reassuring smile.

Raven attempted to return it, before she darted her eyes away from his. He could tell she was uncomfortable with their situation, yet knew she needed his help, and he could see the internal struggle flash across her face.

"I know our friendship has been a bit... lacking, lately, and I want you to know that I do value it," she announced nervously, shuffling slightly under his arm. "And like I said, what has already happened will probably be the extent of it, and I know you don't need to hear this, but I have to say it: anything we do... _doesn't _mean anything. And if starts to, for you, I need you to tell me. Because I _can't_ be anything more than this, Beast Boy, and I -"

"Whoa, whoa, _whoa!_" Beast Boy interrupted hastily. "Oh my god, Raven, no! _No, no, no!_"

Raven turned to face him, her expression a mixture of confusion and skepticism.

He tried to calm himself down as he realized she could potentially feel offended, but he needed to set her straight on setting him straight.

"I love ya, Rae - but not like _that_," he continued sheepishly. "And I think you're really cool and all, but you don't need to worry about me wanting, uh, _more_. I'm your friend, and that's all I want to be - but again, you're totally awesome and any guy would be lucky to have you!"

A small smirk played at her lips as she continued to give him an unimpressed look. "Mmm hmm?" she hummed, clearly amused by his rambling.

Beast Boy tried to reel himself back in as he realized they were both on the same page. "Right, so, uh... is that everything you wanted to talk about?"

He watched as Raven furrowed her brows in thought, before her usual blank expression surfaced. "I believe so. You don't have anymore questions?"

Beast Boy tilted his head back as he sifted through his mind, before turning back to her and giving her his signature grin. "Nope; I'm good!"

Raven nodded solemnly, before removing his arm from her shoulders. She stood up stoically, before giving him once last pointed look.

"And I think it goes without saying that you should keep up with proper hygiene habits - I am not a fan of your natural... _musk._"

Beast Boy scoffed incredulously, having half a mind to rebut, but the empath had already started making her way back towards the exit. He turned his head to watch her go, suddenly finding his mind filling with even more questions, but not having the nerve to call her back.

Slumping back onto the couch, he replayed their conversation in his head several times, before deciding that they had covered the most important aspects of their arrangement. And he was, admittedly, a little relieved that she wasn't planning on taking things too far - despite the fact that he wouldn't mind testing the waters. But he knew not to push her boundaries, because she was _Raven_, after all. And he pushed Raven enough to know that she didn't have a habit of holding back.

As he turned his attention back to the TV, his enhanced hearing picked up the pounding steps of his robotic teammate nearing the common room, and he wondered idly if Raven had sensed him returning to the tower, and that's why her exit seemed rather abrupt.

Shrugging to himself, he stretched his arm to reach the remote, knowing that Cyborg would either request a round of video games, or make him change the channel to something else. As his fingers grasped it, he heard the doors hiss open, and his teammate pound down the steps.

"Whatcha watching, grass stain?" Cyborg boomed fondly, hopping onto the other side of the couch.

Beast Boy gave his friend a nod of acknowledgment as he began flipping through the channels.

"Nothing, really."

He could see Cyborg nod from his peripheral vision, before the half-robot turned his head to face him.

"Well, I bumped into Rae on my way in here, and you're obviously still alive, so I take it that it's safe to leave you both alone?"

Beast Boy gave his teammate a sideways glance, feeling his face flush slightly. "What do you mean?" he asked sharply.

Cyborg seemed not to have noticed the bite in Beast Boy's voice as he let out a hearty laugh. "Well, I was worried y'all would kill each other or something, but she didn't look pissed. Usually when you two get left here, she gives me a lecture about common courtesy!"

Beast Boy felt a small smile tug at his lips, before his friend's words registered completely. "Hey!" he exclaimed, slamming the remote down on the couch as he sat up. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

The robotic titan let out another chuckle as he settled himself onto the couch. "Nothing, man. I'm just saying that you two don't have the best track record of getting along, and I'm surprised nobody died while I was out."

The changeling huffed irritably as he slumped against the couch once more, picking the remote back up to continue to channel surf. "Yeah, well, we're starting to get along better, so I don't care what you think," he muttered, just loud enough for his teammate to hear.

Cyborg snorted in amusement, obviously unconvinced.

Feeling angry that even Cyborg had noticed the recent distance between him and Raven, Beast Boy vowed to himself that he was going to get closer to the empath, regardless of their new situation. Sure, she had said that he couldn't approach her about the _benefits _part of their relationship, but she didn't say anything about the _friendship _part. And he was going to make good use of that loophole.

Smiling deviously to himself, Beast Boy settled on a random action movie as he began to formulate his plan. He was positive that he and Raven would become best friends in no time, and that their new arrangement would do nothing but strengthen their trust. And her asking him for help with _this _situation was already a good sign that she trusted him wholeheartedly. Strengthening their friendship would be a piece of cake.

* * *

Thank you guys for the reviews, follows, and favorites! As you know, I'm a little hesitant on stepping out of my comfort zone, but the encouragement really helps! And if some of you are concerned that I am heading in a totally different direction than what you're used to with my writing, do not fear! I will still keep the same kind of humorous tone, even when dealing with the more serious situations. But I will try not to let that affect the overall feelings that are being displayed, so I guess it's like a little test for me! Also, regarding the rating, I am not planning on rating it above a T, though it might end up being a high T. I love reading M-rated fics, because they're usually so gritty and exciting, but I don't think I'm to that point yet. Also, I don't plan on writing smut, because I favor the emotional journeys of the characters, rather than the physical. But this is only the second chapter, so I guess I can't make too many guarantees right now!

Anywhoo, sorry for the hella long author's note! I'll try toning that down a bit (but hey, my chapters are getting pretty long!) Leave a review? They're like super appreciated!


	3. Hopes

I hope to one day be a successful author, and _maybe _own the Teen Titans.

* * *

Beast Boy absently watched Raven make her morning tea as he waited for their leader to usher them to training. He was reluctantly getting used to the early morning routine, though the thought of curling back beneath his comforter was almost enough to make him fall asleep, then and there, on the kitchen floor. But rather than dwell on the empty promise of returning to bed, he decided to focus on the empath before him.

Raven had definitely seemed more lively since he had offered to help her deal with her emotions, though she had barely approached him. Besides the bathroom and couch incidents, he found that their relationship hadn't really changed. And that was kind of disappointing. Realistically, he knew they wouldn't just become best friends overnight, but he had expected at least a conversation or two. But the only time they ever spoke was when she was providing him with rules or berating him for being too noisy.

As the half-demon removed her kettle from the stove, Beast Boy idly wondered if he should make an attempt at a conversation - though he had no idea what to talk about. He knew she liked books, and libraries, and poems, and basically anything and everything that screamed "boring", but he wasn't the best person to discuss that kind of stuff with. Honestly, he _knew _why they weren't the greatest of friends, since their hobbies differed so greatly, but he decided that he needed to take a chance and fill the gap between them.

"So, any new, interesting, uh..." He immediately drew a blank as she turned to face him, delicately blowing across the surface of her freshly poured tea.

She quirked her eyebrow curiously as she waited for him to continue, and he suddenly felt his humiliation cloud any coherent thoughts. What the heck was there to talk about?

"Uhm, t-tea flavors?" he squeaked, giving her a sheepish smile.

Raven rolled her eyes as she took a sip of her tea and pushed past him. "Since when are you interested in tea?"

Beast Boy let out an awkward chuckle as he followed her to the table, before sitting down across from her. So far, they were the only two in the common room. Cyborg was probably already in the training room, programming whatever crazy scenario Robin came up with for their training that day. The boy wonder himself was most likely with him, breathing down his neck and correcting any miscalculations the half-robot may have made.

Starfire's absence, on the other hand, was a bit strange. The alien was usually a redheaded ray of sunshine in the mornings, and yet she was nowhere to be found.

Sensing that his conversation on tea wouldn't be going anywhere, Beast Boy ignored the empath's question in favor of asking one of his own.

"Have you seen Star this morning?"

Raven looked up from her tea momentarily to meet his gaze, before darting her eyes towards the common room doors.

"She hadn't been feeling too well last night - I wouldn't be surprised if she was getting sick," she mused in her monotone.

Hearing this made Beast Boy straighten in his seat slightly. It was rare for Starfire to feel ill, but when she did, the tower was thrown into chaos. Robin became frantic, Cyborg would be adamant on taking blood samples for future reference, and Raven would reluctantly agree to keeping an eye on her. And if that were to happen, Beast Boy's chances of getting closer to the empath would shrink.

Everyone knew that Starfire was a strong girl, and that her illness would never last longer than a week, but the idea of postponing his plans didn't sit well with him. And neither did the fact that Robin would use up the titan's free time to do everything in their power to make the alien feel better, or train harder, to make up for the member out of commission.

"Ugh, that sucks!" he complained, earning an incredulous look from his teammate. Giving her a sheepish smile, he attempted to amend his exclamation. "Y-you know, for _her_."

Raven shook her head in amusement as she brought her mug to her lips once more, her eyes darting back to the doors. Beast Boy watched as she stared at them blankly, before suddenly turning back towards him.

"Okay, I believe we have about five minutes before anyone comes looking for us, so I say we take advantage of this time," she announced quickly.

With hardly any time for him to protest, Raven stood from her chair and walked around the table, before grabbing the changeling's arm and pulling him up. Beast Boy complied in confusion as she dragged him towards the couch and pushed him onto it, before sitting down gently beside him. As he sat himself upright, Raven closed the distance between their bodies quickly.

"I'm going to apologize first, since this is quite sudden, but Starfire had _insisted _on a girl's night last night," she explained dryly, seemingly ignoring the look of flustered confusion on her teammate's face. "You know that author who writes all of those whiny romance novels that somehow always get turned into movies where some character dies at the end from cancer or something? Well, we ended up marathoning a few of those, and now I'm going to need your help getting all of that garbage out of my head."

Beast Boy attempted to follow along, but the insanity of the situation made it a bit difficult for him. His eyes widened slightly as Raven rested one of her hands on his thigh, and placed her other hand on the back of his neck. Her face moved closer to his, and he could detect her barely-there blush, as well as a few freckles he hadn't realized she had.

"Now, you remember the rules?" she asked curtly. Without waiting for his answer, she listed them off anyway. "My pace, no questions?"

Nodding timidly, he watched with bated breath as her face got even closer. There was barely an inch between their mouths, and a mixture of anxiety and excitement swirled in his stomach.

"Oh, and one more thing," she began, her breath ghosting across his lips. "Can you _try _to do something with your mouth this time? I swear, it was like kissing a wall. If that's all you can offer, I'm going to have to reconsider this whole arrangement."

Beast Boy began to part his lips in protest, but found that they were suddenly busy as Raven completely closed the space between them.

Though he was still taken by surprise, he was able to gather his senses in a reasonable amount of time. The feeling of his teammate's lips against his own was undeniably foreign, and yet somewhat enjoyable. They were soft, which was incredibly pleasant, and the sensual feeling of them moving along with his was nice. He hadn't really kissed a girl before (besides the occasional goodnight-peck from his adoptive mother Rita when he was younger - which really didn't count - and the whatever it was with Raven when she had ambushed him in the bathroom), but he felt like he was doing a decent job. Raven didn't seem to be complaining, and the fact that she was pulling him closer to deepen the kiss was sure to be a good sign. Deciding to make the most of the odd situation, Beast Boy allowed his hands to explore a bit.

Moving them from his lap, he was momentarily caught off guard as he met the bare skin of his teammate's knee. But when she made no move to stop him, he took his other hand and placed it at her waist, feeling the surprisingly soft fabric of her leotard.

She apparently took their new position as an invitation to bring herself even closer to him, and Beast Boy's back began to ache as he attempted to keep them upright. Her hand on his neck soon traveled into his hair, where she began threading her fingers through it gently. The sensation caused a purr to rise in his throat, earning a snort of amusement from the empath as she pulled away for air.

"Are you..." she began with a smirk, her eyes gleaming with mirth.

Beast Boy hurriedly cut her off by clearing his throat, his face reddening in embarrassment.

"It, uh, it happens sometimes," he admitted sheepishly, avoiding her gaze. He realized suddenly that they were still holding onto each other, and he could feel his face getting hotter. "A-are you good, now?" he mumbled awkwardly.

He spared a glance at the half-demon, catching sight of her own blush as she began to release him.

"The emotions have quieted down considerably," she deadpanned, before completely removing her hands from him and scooting a few feet away. "So, yes, I believe I'm good. Thank you, Beast Boy. You have no idea how much your coöperation is helping me."

Beast Boy grinned at her praise as he noticed that the dullness in her eyes had vanished, replaced by what he assumed to be a content feeling. "No problem, Rae - I mean, this thing is definitely gonna take some getting used to, but it's all for the best!"

"Definitely," she agreed, giving him a thankful smile. They stared at each other awkwardly for several moments, before Raven took the initiative to break the sudden silence. "Well, we better head towards the training room. Robin's undoubtedly getting impatient."

They both stood from the couch at the same time, though neither made a move to leave as their eyes again locked awkwardly. Another few moments of silenced passed between them, before Raven broke it once more.

"I'll go check on Starfire," she announced swiftly, turning from the changeling and making her way towards the exit.

Beast Boy watched as she slipped through the doorway, before following behind her. Though instead of heading towards the alien's room, he raced in the direction of the training room, as not to make his and Raven's delay seem suspicious.

He was greeted with a grunt from his leader as the boy wonder paced behind Cyborg, who was busy typing in commands on the computer. Beast Boy caught a glimpse of the difficulty level, and felt himself groan in exasperation. He hated anything above a level four, and it seemed Robin wanted to make things twice as horrible by demanding a level eight.

"Where are the girls?"

Taken aback by his leader's sudden question, Beast Boy blinked rapidly as an instant replay of what he now dubbed "the couch _and _kiss incident" flashed through his brain.

"I don't know," he replied quickly, his fingers fidgeting at his sides as he avoided looking at the masked titan. "Why would I know? I mean, they're girls - don't girls always take a long time getting ready in the morning? Heck, maybe Star's sick or something - I have no idea!"

He could feel Robin watching him curiously, but before his leader could comment on his odd behavior, Raven walked through the door. Alone.

"Starfire isn't feeling well, and requested to skip training this morning," she deadpanned, not acknowledging anyone in particular as she made her way further into the room.

Beast Boy watched from the corner of his eye as Robin stiffened immediately.

"Star's sick? What's wrong with her? Is she okay?"

The changeling let out a small huff of amusement at his leader's concern, before directing his gaze towards the empath.

Raven stood a few feet away, her arms crossed over her chest and her hood raised. He idly realized that she had neglected to wear her cloak earlier, and wondered if she had gone back to her room to retrieve it.

"She's fine, Robin," Raven started to say, but the masked titan was already racing out of the room, no doubt on his way to check on his sort-of girlfriend.

"Wow, you totally called it, BB," Cyborg laughed, speaking for the first time since the changeling had entered the room.

Trading a skeptical glance with the half-demon, Beast Boy let out a sheepish laugh. "Heh, yeah - hey! Maybe I'm a psychic!"

His suggestion was met with a snort of amusement from the half-robot and an eye-roll from the half-demon. Letting out a huff of mock-frustration, Beast Boy hesitantly made his way towards the control panel, attempting to get a good look at what the training session would entail.

Cyborg must have realized what he was trying to do, and quickly covered the screen.

"Uh, uh, grass stain! Rob wants us to be prepared for surprise attacks, so nobody gets a peek! Hell, I have to put it on random, so even _I _won't know!"

Beast Boy let out an exasperated sigh as his shoulders slumped in defeat. "Dude! That _sucks__! _I hate surprises... Unless there's like cake and presents involved!"

Cyborg let out another chuckle at his teammate's antics, before typing in one last code. He then pressed the _start _button, and Beast Boy watched as the screen blinked several times, before the word "Ready" popped up.

"Well, everything's all set!" the robotic titan announced proudly, taking a step back from the machine and turning to face his teammates. "Now all we gotta do is wait for Rob to get back."

"Which shouldn't be too long," Raven mused dryly. "After all, since it's _Starfire _who's sick, he won't insist on taking her temperature or anything. He'll just take her _word _for it."

Cyborg hummed in agreement, while Beast Boy's expression quickly turned to one of annoyance. Last time _he_ had claimed he was sick, their leader had not only demanded Cyborg to take his temperature - he had the half-robot take a blood sample _and_ analyze his saliva.

Beast Boy hadn't only been irritated by the whole ordeal - he had been _livid_; especially since the boy wonder deemed him healthy enough to train. And though he knew if Starfire's illness lasted longer than a day or two, Cyborg would be ordered to do the same to her, it _still_ bothered him that the alien always got special treatment.

But, the fact that Robin was harboring the biggest crush on the redhead was reason enough to just ignore the obvious favoritism.

As expected, their leader returned shortly, confirming that the alien _was_, indeed, too ill to attend training. He then proceeded to explain what Cyborg had already informed them of, only adding that their quick thinking and reflexes would be recorded into the computer to enhance their own personal training regimen.

Beast Boy tried to stifle a yawn as he watched Robin demonstrate the course, barely breaking a sweat. Even though the masked titan's skills were quite admirable, the changeling found that they became rather unimpressive when one would see them over and over again.

Next up was Cyborg, who also blew through the course, though the level of difficulty did take its toll. He was obviously disappointed with his final score as he let out an exasperated groan.

It was now Raven's turn, and Beast Boy watched with interest as she made quick work of the obstacles, her powers working flawlessly. He couldn't help but feel a little proud of himself - after all, he _had _helped her to vent out some emotions earlier, which obviously took a weight off her shoulders. So her successful run was, in part, thanks to _him_. She finished gracefully, beating their leader's time by several seconds and earning a round of applause from the boy wonder himself.

Hoping to attain a similar score, Beast Boy stepped onto the course with new-found confidence. But he found that it quickly depleted as he shifted his way past the many obstacles, morphing between flight-enabled creatures and strength-possessing primates. He wasn't doing _horrible_, but he knew that Robin would probably lecture him on focus and dedication.

Thankfully, though, the alarm began blaring, signalling a crime alert as the training course automatically shut down and the lights began flashing red.

"Titans, go!" Robin commanded almost immediately, and the four of them quickly raced from the room.

Beast Boy usually hated morning alerts, but he hated Robin's lectures even more, so the distraction was welcomed. He just hoped that it would be a quick battle, against somebody harmless, like Control Freak or Mumbo. That way, they could return to the tower shortly and he would maybe get some free time before lunch.

As he and Raven headed towards the roof entrance, he couldn't help but blush as she grabbed his hand and phased them through the ceiling, rather than taking the extra few seconds to take the stairs. She had done that kind of thing countless times before, but after their kiss from this morning, Beast Boy was finding that any physical contact with the empath caused his stomach to swirl.

He only hoped it was a temporary feeling - one that _wouldn't_ get any worse.

* * *

Again, thank you guys for the reviews and whatnot! They are super duper encouraging, so feel free to keep it up! Also, any constructive criticism is welcomed - like, if you feel anybody is being completely OOC, let me know! And I am trying to make my chapters a tad bit longer, so I'm sorry if they seem unnecessarily wordy - I'm sure they'll get better as we go along!

Anywhoo, like I said, reviews are so appreciated, and favorites and follows are just as amazing! And I really hope you guys enjoy this story, despite it being a little different than what you're used to from me! :D


	4. Helpfulness

I hate disclaimers. They always have to remind me that I don't own the Teen Titans, and that I'm not getting paid for this lol

* * *

The titans returned to the tower an hour later, much to Beast Boy's delight. The apprehending of Mumbo was surprisingly quick, even with them being short one member, and the changeling now had a few spare hours before Robin's routine kicked back in.

Deciding to hang around the tower, rather than venture into the city, Beast Boy wandered aimlessly through the halls in search of something to do. He knew that Cyborg was most likely working on the T-car, and Robin was either in the training room or evidence room, leaving him with the option of bugging the empath, or checking on the alien. Deciding that Starfire's well-being was a little more important than annoying Raven, Beast Boy made his way to the redhead's room.

As he neared her door, his hearing picked up the muffled sounds of conversation. Feeling his curiosity stir, he shuffled closer and pressed his ear to the door. He could barely make out the muted sound of his female teammates talking, but what he was hearing captured his attention.

Though he wasn't positive, he swore he had heard Raven say his name. But why she would say it, he had no idea. She had been adamant on drilling the secrecy of their arrangement into his head, so for her to blab it to Starfire was kind of a shock, and just a tad bit irritating.

He was about to silently fume about it longer, but he realized too late that the door was opening, causing him to stumble into the room.

Starfire was curled beneath her blankets, her nose red and her mouth set in a frown. Raven was standing closer to the door, a similar expression upon her face as she gave the changeling a bored look.

"Oh, you were correct to assume his dropping of eaves," Starfire mused, her voice almost as raspy as the empath's.

"I told you," Raven deadpanned, crossing her arms over her chest as she continued to look annoyed.

Beast Boy gave her a sheepish smile as he straightened himself, feeling a blush rise to his cheeks. She must have sensed him approaching the alien's room, and mentioned it to her, and that was what he had heard. Apparently, she _wasn't_ divulging their secret to Starfire.

"I, uh," he began, scuffing his foot against the floor, "was just checking up on you, Star. How are you feeling?"

Starfire gave him a small smile as she blew her nose, earning disgusted grimaces from her teammates. "I have been better, friend. But I will do the living," she replied weakly. "Thank you for the concern."

Beast Boy returned her smile, before his eyes darted over to meet Raven's. She was still giving him an apprehensive look.

"You okay, too, Rae?" he joked warily, causing her eyes to narrow.

"I'm fine, thank you," she deadpanned.

Beast Boy nodded slowly, feeling his presence in the room grow more and more awkward. He knew that Starfire enjoyed his company, and that Raven at least _tolerated _it, but he was beginning to feel like he had intruded upon something. Most likely girl-talk.

"Well, holler if either of you need me!" he announced abruptly, before backing out of the room. As the doors slid shut before him, he faintly heard Starfire's voice.

"Why would Beast Boy believe _you _acquire his assistance, Raven?"

Feeling his face flush, the changeling quickly turned around and raced towards the common room before he could hear the empath's answer.

* * *

Lying haphazardly on the couch, Beast Boy sighed in exasperation as he glanced at the clock. He had basically wasted his free time in front if the TV, and Robin and the others were due in the common room in about ten minutes. Cyborg had already been in and out, dividing his time between preparing lunch and making a few phone calls in the hall. Beast Boy had idly wondered who his friend was talking to, but straining his ears to hear the other voice seemed like too much effort.

Shifting himself into a more comfortable position, he continued his attempt at focusing on the movie he was watching, but his mind seemed to be elsewhere.

The sound of the common room doors hissing open, accompanied by the faint smell of old books and tea, alerted the changeling to the presence of the half-demon. He felt himself stiffen immediately, wondering if she was really going to chance anything with Cyborg standing outside of the room.

Letting himself sink lower into the couch, he hoped that she wouldn't notice him.

"It's nice to learn that I inflict some strong feelings of fear within you," she deadpanned from the kitchen, obviously aware of his presence.

Letting out a nervous laugh, he slowly sat up, only to see Raven wasn't seeking his help, but rather refilling her tea.

"Uh, I..." he began, before a random thought entered his mind. Giving his teammate a slightly accusatory look, he hesitantly pointed his finger at her. "Wait a sec, Rae... have you been _reading _my emotions?"

Raven glanced up from her kettle, clearly taken aback by the slight hostility in his tone.

"No..?" she answered, clearly bewildered.

Beast Boy sat up straighter as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Then how did you know I was scared just now? Or that I was eavesdropping earlier?"

Surprisingly, Raven let out a snort of amusement as she turned her attention back towards her tea. "So you admit you were eavesdropping?" she mused casually.

Beast Boy's face paled as he realized what he had accidentally confessed, but his annoyance with the half-demon outweighed his embarrassment. "Uh, maybe - but only because I heard my name!"

Raven glanced back over at him, a small smirk present on her face. "How, exactly, did you hear your name, if you _only _started listening _after _your name was said?"

Knowing he had backed himself into a corner, Beast Boy quickly changed the subject. "How did you know I was there? By reading my emotions or something?"

Again, the half-demon let out a small laugh as she shook her head in amusement. Bringing her mug to her lips, she blew across the surface as she made her way towards the couch.

Beast Boy waited impatiently as she took her time crossing the room, before sitting down beside him and taking a sip of her tea.

"Well?" he barked, giving her an irritated look.

She slowly pulled her mug from her mouth, before licking her lips delicately. The changeling tried to ignore the uncomfortable tumbling of his stomach as he waited for her reply.

"I didn't read your emotions, Beast Boy," she began stoically, taking another sip of her tea, before going on, "and I'm quite insulted that you would ever think I would invade your privacy like that."

Beast Boy shifted slightly in his seat as her words registered.

"Then... then how did you...?"

Raven gave him a sideways glance, before rolling her eyes at his confused expression. "I felt your _aura_, Beast Boy."

"My _what?_"

Again, the empath gave him an exasperated look, before setting her mug on the coffee table and turning to face him. "You just love being difficult, don't you?"

Not giving him any time to answer, she continued. "Everyone has an aura that they give off - some psychics claimed to 'see' it, and they describe it as a tinted glow that surrounds a person. It often comes in a variety of colors and, suspiciously enough, works like a mood ring._ I_, on the other hand, _feel _people's auras."

Obviously sensing that the changeling _still _wasn't following, she let out another sigh. "All of you guys have auras that are specific to you, and that allow me to sense when you guys are near. _Your_ aura gives off a very light feeling, though I can sense a bit of darkness buried beneath the surface. Nothing evil, or malicious - just... lost, I suppose. It is uniquely you, and can't be replicated. Your aura is basically a beacon of your presence, so that's why it can very often be difficult to sneak up on me."

Beast Boy felt himself blush slightly as he remembered all of his failed attempts to scare or surprise the empath, and how she always managed to sense him at the last minute. Deciding not to dwell on that, he listened quietly as his teammate continued.

"I was able to sense your fear through your aura, much like you are able to sense fear when you are in an animal form. I would also be able to tap into your emotions to feel it, but it is honestly a bit of a pain, as well as intrusive. I would never physically seek out your thoughts without your permission - unless, of course, it was necessary."

She ended her explanation by reaching for her tea again and taking another sip. Beast Boy sat beside her silently, weighing her words in his head. He had always assumed that Raven's empathy could read his emotions at all times, and that she just didn't actively focus on it, so finding out that she actually had to work to get a read on them was a bit of a relief. He never really had anything he needed to hide specifically from _her_, but he'd sometimes feel sad, and he never wanted her to wonder why.

Also, their new arrangement was stirring up a few embarrassing feelings, and he was terrified that she'd sense them, and then get the wrong idea. And that would only make his quest of befriending her that much harder. So her explanation couldn't have come at a better time.

"Auras, huh?" he mused, finally breaking his streak of silence.

Raven nodded absently, her face twisted into a look of confusion as she watched whatever movie that was on the TV. Beast Boy followed her gaze, before letting out a hearty chuckle.

"Heh, yeah, don't even _try _to understand this movie, Rae. It's literally just mindless gore."

He watched as the empath continued to stare at the screen, before turning her attention back to him.

"Are all of your movies this... horrible?" she questioned, a small smirk rising to her lips.

Beast Boy playfully glared at her. "_No_," he defended halfheartedly. "Maybe if you _actually_ stuck around during movie night, you'd know that," he suggested coyly.

"Maybe if you guys played movies I'd _want_ to watch, I'd stick around," she bit back.

Gasping in mock-offense, Beast Boy held his hand to his heart. "Fine then, Rae! I'll search my entire collection for a movie _you'd _enjoy, and you'll have to watch it with us next movie night. And if you _do _enjoy it, like I know you will, you'll have to stick around for _every _movie night!"

He had attempted to make little bets and wagers with her multiple times, but she would usually roll her eyes and call him immature. But to his surprise, she turned towards him with a look of determination, and held her hand out towards his.

"Alright, deal," she agreed.

Beast Boy slowly reached his hand out to hers and tentatively shook it, but she tightened her grip when he went to pull away.

"_But_," she began with a devious smirk, "if I _hate _it, which I most likely _will_, you'll have to do all of my chores for the next month."

The changeling opened his mouth to refuse, but the common room doors hissing open caused him to jump back from Raven guiltily.

His dramatic leap earned him quizzical looks from both the empath and the half-robot, the latter of which looked entirely lost.

"Did... did y'all just make a _bet?_"

Beast Boy let out a shaky sigh as he realized that Cyborg had merely stumbled upon their innocent wager - and nothing more. But ever since their kiss earlier that morning, Beast Boy had felt like any time spent with Raven made their situation totally obvious to anyone else. He felt like her lips had stained his, and that anybody could take one look at him and know. It was like she branded him somehow.

"I wouldn't call it a bet," Raven deadpanned, still eyeing the changeling warily. He knew she was questioning his reliability, and whether or not the whole "benefits" thing was a good idea.

Not wanting to miss out on his chance to help her, he gave her a sheepish smile, mouthing the word "sorry."

She nodded slightly, and he took that as her acceptance of his apology.

Cyborg had let out a low whistle of disbelief, before changing the subject to lunch. He had thankfully prepared a vegetarian-friendly dish, and was actually pretty excited as he explained it.

"And I didn't have to add any of that tofu crap," he grinned, earning a huff of frustration from the changeling.

Raven gave Beast Boy a knowing look, before passing him a stack of plates with her powers. The both of them then made their way to the table, where they began setting it. He noticed she had given him five plates, and he couldn't help but wonder if Starfire would actually join them.

"Is Star feeling good enough to come out for lunch?" he questioned curiously as he haphazardly plopped the plates down while circling the table.

Raven followed behind him, gently placing the silverware beside the plates. "I imagine so; she missed breakfast, after all, so I assume she's hungry."

Beast Boy nodded in understanding, before taking his usual seat and waiting for the others to join. Raven sat down beside him, straightening her plate so the striped pattern was running horizontally. She then let out an exasperated sigh, before muttering "cups" under her breath.

Sensing the chance to possibly make up for what he deemed "the embarrassing couch jump incident", Beast Boy hopped up from his seat, patting Raven on the shoulder. "Don't worry, I'll get them!"

He then raced into the kitchen, maneuvering around the half-robot as he pulled out a delicious smelling casserole from the oven. It seemed Cyborg had used his extra time to make a more elaborate lunch, rather than the usual sandwiches and soup the titans were use to. But Beast Boy wasn't complaining as he took a stack of cups out of the cupboard, before heading to the fridge and grabbing a jug of water. The girls had repeatedly complained about the tap water tasting strange, and since Starfire was unhappy, Robin had demanded that bottled water be added to the grocery list until Cyborg finished making a water-purifier.

Hauling the jug and the cups to the table, he quickly set them next to the plates, before filling each glass. Once he was finished filling his own, he placed the jug in the center of the table and reclaimed his seat.

Chancing a glance at his teammate, he noticed her brows were raised in surprise as she examined the table. He was never usually this helpful, and he could tell she appreciated it, even though it definitely raised suspicion.

"What did you do?" she deadpanned, giving him a pointed look. "Did you break something? Lose something? Feed something to Silkie?"

Beast Boy let out a nervous laugh as he fondly wondered where their little larva had crawled off to, before realizing Raven was still waiting for his answer.

"Uh, nothing that I know of," he replied innocently.

Her eyes narrowed slightly at his response as she took a tentative sip of her water. "Then what has caused this random bout of helpfulness?"

Beast Boy didn't want to explain that it was to please her, since he realized she could potentially take it the wrong way. She had made their stance pretty clear, and though he wasn't feeling anything besides friendship for her, his actions would say otherwise. So instead, he shrugged his shoulders sheepishly and quickly thought up an excuse. "I just don't want Cy to tell Robin that I didn't help out, 'cuz I already messed up during training, and I could see him assigning me more chores or something."

Satisfied with his quick thinking, he rewarded himself with a drink of water as he waited for Raven's reply.

"You didn't mess up in training."

He choked slightly at her response, completely caught off guard by the kindness in her voice. Giving her a surprised look, he attempted to clear his throat, but only managed to cough more.

Raven was avoiding his gaze as she turned her plate to make the stripes vertical, before giving him a fleeting glance. "I mean, I know that you probably have a lot on your mind right now, due to our... and it was completely expected for you to not be totally one hundred percent during training. And I know that nobody else is aware of the situation, but I think you did exceptionally well, regardless."

Beast Boy stared at her in shock as the realization that Raven had just _complimented _him sunk in. She never handed out praise, especially towards him, and the only time she never downright insulted him was when she'd slip him a backhanded-compliment. _  
_

"Uh, thanks?" he replied awkwardly, feeling his face flush slightly. He was beyond thrilled that he seemed to be making progress with their friendship, but a seemingly-nice Raven raised just as much concern as a seemingly-helpful Beast Boy, so he knew to take her words with a grain of salt.

Raven neglected to respond as the common room doors opened, revealing a frantic Robin helping a slightly-annoyed Starfire down the stairs. Beast Boy tried not to snicker as he caught sight of the glare the alien was shooting at their leader as he babied her all the way to the table. Despite her usually sunny disposition, a sick Starfire was a cranky Starfire. And a cranky Starfire didn't appreciate the mamma-bear antics of the boy wonder.

Stifling down his chuckle, Beast Boy directed his sights back to the stoic empath beside him, who was again adjusting her plate. He had been learning so much about her and her powers these past few days, and it was actually pretty nice. Smiling to himself, he rotated his plate to match hers as he realized that becoming good friends with her was probably going to be easier than it had initially seemed.

* * *

Well, I hope for Beast Boy's sake (and our sanity) that his last statement is true! Haha

Anywhoo, so here's another chapter! I meant to get it out yesterday, but I just didn't find the time! Sorry!

Oh, and another thank you to all you reviewers/followers/favoriters! You guys seriously are the reason that I write (besides the fact that I just love writing lol!) So, I guess you guys are the reason that I _post _my writing lol. Keep it up!

I'll get the next chapter up tomorrow! :P


	5. Misunderstandings

I have found the rights to the Teen Titans! I am currently reading through all the terms and conditions, though. Like, are these things _always _this long?

* * *

Beast Boy was confused. Yeah, that really wasn't all that shocking - a lot of things confused him. Like, he didn't understand how helicopters worked - nor did he grasp the concept of anything above algebra. Big words often threw him for a loop, and sometimes he considered carrying around a small dictionary, just so he'd know what Raven was saying.

But there was no book or manual when it came to the empath's moods. Just when he had thought that their friendship was getting somewhere, she'd do a 180 and he'd be left in the dust, wondering what he had said wrong.

Today was one of those days. It had been about a week since the bathroom incident, and Beast Boy was finally wrapping his head around their new relationship. Raven came to him at least once every one or two days, and often times it was just to cuddle, or maybe receive a quick peck. Nothing really over the top since the couch-kiss incident, but he kind of expected that after his strange behavior that day.

But what he hadn't expected was Raven's cold attitude towards him. Just the other day, he had almost gotten her to laugh, and now she couldn't keep herself from glaring at him.

They were sitting side by side in the T-car, waiting for Robin to finish his report. Starfire was still sick, which raised a lot of concerns, and Cyborg was monitoring her back at the tower. It didn't seem to be anything too serious, but the fact that she was still under the weather fueled Robin's decision to keep her home. At first, the alien was completely outraged - she thought it was her boyfriend's way of saying she was unfit for duty. But after a few private words with their leader, Starfire had agreed that it was best.

Robin then called in Kid Flash to fill in temporarily, since the team was now out two members, due to Cyborg's doctor duties. The speedster was happy to help, though his newly reformed girlfriend, Jinx, had insisted on staying back. She was still getting used to the idea of being a hero, and didn't want to revisit Jump City until she was ready.

Beast Boy didn't mind, though. Jinx scared him a bit, and he didn't think he could handle living in the same tower as both the former-villain and the half-demon beside him. The same half-demon who happened to be glaring at him again.

He silently cursed under his breath at Kid Flash once more, who was sitting in the passenger seat after calling shotgun and racing to the car. Normally, he wouldn't have minded sitting next to Raven, but he was obviously in trouble for something, and didn't want to push his luck. He could feel her glare drilling holes in the side of his head, but he promised himself he wouldn't look. It would only antagonize her, and he couldn't risk getting chewed out in front of their temporary teammate, who would undoubtedly infer that they were just having a "lover's quarrel."

The speedster had immediately assumed that Beast Boy was secretly dating Raven, since he had caught the pair hugging in the hall. Raven had almost destroyed the tower when the teasing began, but luckily Beast Boy had convinced Kid Flash that Raven was just concerned for Starfire, and she didn't know how to express her feelings.

Kid Flash had bought the explanation, though he had still bombarded the changeling with questions. Apparently, Raven seeking _any _kind of comfort from Beast Boy seemed a little too far-fetched. But the idea of them dating was beyond that realm, which the speedster had explained with a laugh. But it was obvious he was still a bit suspicious.

But other than their temp's conspiracy-theories, the hallway-hug incident was no longer a problem, which made Beast Boy conclude that it wasn't the empath's reason for being upset with him.

If she even _had _a reason.

Sighing in exasperation, Beast Boy stared blankly out the window as he waited for Robin to return. The boy wonder had a habit of detailing the report to the fullest extent, which was often the reason their missions took so long. But lately, he skipped out on the more minor details in favor of returning home to Starfire sooner, so Beast Boy was a bit surprised at how long it was taking.

About a minute later, though, their leader returned, hopping into the driver's seat and starting the ignition.

"I'm gonna stop by the grocery store before we head home, so come in with me if you want anything. I don't have the list," the boy wonder announced, starting towards the local super market.

Beast Boy crossed his arms over his chest as he went through a mental checklist of what he needed. Tofu was always on the top of that list, since there was never _too much _of it, so he knew he'd definitely have to get that. Then came the less-important things, like soda and shampoo. He was running low on both.

"I have a few things I need to pick up," he replied, earning a nod of acknowledgement from his leader.

"I should probably get some stuff as well," Kid Flash interjected casually. "Don't want to _completely _be a freeloader."

"That's what Beast Boy's for," Raven muttered under her breath.

The changeling wanted to ignore it, but the snort of amusement from his leader and the stifled chuckle from the speedster alerted him to the fact that he hadn't been the only one to hear it. Finally acknowledging the empath, he turned himself towards her.

"What the hell is your problem, dude?!"

Raven simply gave him a bored look as she adjusted her hood. "I don't have a problem, Beast Boy."

The changeling was about to refute, but Robin quickly cleared his throat.

"Come on, guys. There's enough craziness in the tower as it is. I don't need you two bickering incessantly added to the list."

Beast Boy reluctantly backed down, giving the empath one last fleeting glare before he redirected his sights back out the window. Raven had merely rolled her eyes, before doing the same.

He wasn't sure why she insisted on riling him up all of a sudden, and it really made him rethink their arrangement. If she couldn't have the decency to act friendly towards him, then why should he go out of his way to help her? She was fully capable of finding some fan-boy to fulfill her needs - she didn't necessarily need _him_. She didn't _deserve _his help.

But the thought of her finding someone else didn't sit well with him, so he knew that he would never suggest it. But he wanted to - just to prove to her that she couldn't get away with treating him like that.

Sighing to himself, he kept his eyes directed out the window as they neared the grocery store. Robin quickly found a spot suitable for the T-car, and the four titans climbed out. Beast Boy was a bit surprised that Raven was joining them, but he made sure to keep his distance as they neared the entrance. Instead, he joined in on Robin and Kid Flash's discussion of masks, even though he personally hadn't worn one in years. Thanks to Raven.

He spared a glance at her, only to see her immediately veer off from the group as they entered the super market. She was most likely heading for the tea and coffee aisle, which also happened to house all of the organic products as well, so Beast Boy made a mental note to get his tofu last.

"Alright, well, I'm gonna pick up some mustard for Star, so we'll meet back here in twenty, alright?" their leader announced.

Beast Boy and Kid Flash nodded their agreement, and Robin quickly took off for the condiment aisle.

Heaving his shoulders in exasperation, the changeling gave the speedster a sideways glance. "I'm gonna get a cart."

Kid Flash nodded his head absently as he gazed around the store. "Okay. Want me to race around and get everything? I'm a notoriously fast shopper!" he grinned, before disappearing for a split second, and then reappearing in a gust of wind with a bottle of mustard in his hand. "See?"

Beast Boy let out a small chuckle, before explaining to his fellow titan that one little bottle of mustard was definitely _not _enough.

"She _drinks _it?!"

The green titan nodded his head in amusement as he pushed the cart towards the hygiene aisle. Raven had dryly noted the day before that his shampoo was awful-smelling, so with that in mind, he quickly chucked two bottles into the basket. If she insisted on acting so strangely, then she'd just have to deal with the scent.

"Do the girls need anything?" Kid Flash suggested absently. Beast Boy could feel his face flush as he imagined purchasing any feminine products, and quickly shook his head.

"Nope. I mean, I don't know - they buy that stuff themselves," he replied sheepishly.

His temporary teammate let out a snort of amusement as he observed the flustered changeling. "Heh, I know that feeling, buddy. But you'll get over it soon enough."

Beast Boy tried to keep from cringing as he purposefully ignored that section and headed straight for the next aisle. He knew the girls had certain... _hygiene needs_, but the team had unanimously agreed that they'd do their _own_ shopping when it came to... _that_.

"How about some soda?" he suggested loudly, making his way across the store. Kid Flash followed beside him, tossing random items into the cart. After grabbing a few cases of soda, Beast Boy knew that he could no longer avoid the organic foods aisle any longer. Inhaling a shaky breath, he pushed the cart forward.

The processed scent of tofu, mixed with the earthy scent of the teas and vegetables, caused him to wrinkle his nose. His eyes traveled down the aisle quickly, just in time to see the blue of Raven's cloak slip around the corner. Breathing a sigh of relief, Beast Boy quickly grabbed what he needed and made his way back to the front of the store.

Kid Flash had been talking his ear off the entire time, but he hadn't really been paying attention. The dude was a pretty fast talker, and sped through topics without even waiting for a reply, so Beast Boy figured the one-sided conversation was welcomed. And the fact that the guy was dating Jinx probably meant he rarely ever got a word in, so the uninterrupted rambling was most likely needed.

Beast Boy had no idea how the speedster put up with the pink-haired heroine. She was unbelievably stubborn, and her hobbies seemed to include making the dude look dumb and switching between being good and being bad. She was terribly sarcastic, brutally honest at the worst times, and incredibly deceiving. Basically, a migraine disguised as a girl.

Raven was similar, though. But Beast Boy knew _why _she was that way, so he didn't hold it against her. Plus, when they weren't directed at _him_, her sarcastic quips were hilarious. And her honesty was refreshing - sometimes. But it wasn't like he was dating the empath - he was only her friend. So he just could not understand how Kid Flash was able to handle Jinx.

Of course, he didn't voice any of this out loud. He had never seen the speedster angry, but he had a feeling that calling his girlfriend horrible would probably make the guy a little mad.

"Actually, I _hate _Steel City - it's so... I don't know," Kid Flash admitted with a shrug.

Beast Boy wasn't sure what they were talking about, but he nodded his head in understanding.

"I keep trying to convince Jinx to move out here with me, but she's just not ready, I guess," the speedster continued, running a hand through his red hair. The pink-haired heroine's reasons were understandable enough, so it wasn't surprising for Kid Flash to confirm the changeling's suspicions.

Beast Boy was about to respond, but he caught sight of the half-demon walking towards them from the corner of his eye. He immediately whipped his head around to face her, and earned a look of contempt.

"What?"

Not wanting to get into another fight with her, he motioned for her to set her stuff in the cart. She continued to glare at him, but complied. He noticed she was planning to get several new flavors of tea, as well as some frozen waffles. Suppressing a smile, he turned his attention back to their temporary teammate.

"I'm sure she'll come around eventually, dude," he smiled, giving the speedster a pat on the back. "After all, this was her home - I bet she misses it!"

Kid Flash began to reply, but Beast Boy was more focused on the empath beside him. She was glancing around the store impatiently, her arms crossed and her mouth set in a frown. The group of heroes was gaining a bit of attention from the other shoppers, and Beast Boy was grateful that nobody had approached them, though he could tell Raven was uncomfortable, nonetheless.

He was a little impatient himself - he knew Robin was most likely searching the store for anything and everything that would make Starfire feel better, so it wasn't surprising how long it was taking. It was just frustrating.

"I'll be in the car."

Both the boys gave Raven a surprised look as she made her way towards the exit. Kid Flash looked slightly taken aback by her harsh tone, though Beast Boy was sure he was used to being talked to like that.

"Ain't she a ray of sunshine," the speedster muttered sarcastically.

Beast Boy snorted in amusement, though he couldn't stop himself from continuously glancing at the door. Despite the fact that she was being incredibly annoying, he found that he was still worried about her well-being.

"I'm gonna go check on her," he announced quickly, making the decision on a whim. Kid Flash merely shrugged, obviously not interested in dealing with their bickering that was bound to come from the changeling's concern.

Nodding to himself, Beast Boy exited the grocery store, before lightly jogging to the T-car. Raven was already sitting in the back, her eyes closed and her lips repeating a silent chant. She never meditated in public, so Beast Boy was certain that something was seriously bothering her. Taking a deep breath, he cautiously opened the door and slipped in beside her.

"Rae?"

Her lips ceased moving, and she raised her eyebrow in the slightest, though her eyes remained closed. Beast Boy took her silence as permission to go on.

"You've been acting kinda weird lately, and I was wondering... is anything wrong?"

He waited awkwardly as she inhaled sharply, before letting out a deep sigh. Opening her eyes, she gave the changeling a bored look.

"Everything is fine, Beast Boy."

He figured she'd elaborate a bit, but after a few moments of awkward silence, Beast Boy realized that she had finished speaking. And her short answers weren't very satisfying.

"Are you sure?" He scooted closer out of habit, and was somewhat surprised to see that she didn't scoot away. Though after the past couple of days, personal space was no longer something demanded - at least, with him.

"Why would anything be wrong?" she replied in her monotone, setting her hands in her lap. Beast Boy absently noticed that her knee was digging into his thigh, but he was too busy trying to decipher the emotions behind her eyes. Despite her blank expression, he could always tell when she was lying. Especially since the dullness had returned to her usually bright irises.

"You tell me."

Raven blinked in response, before letting out another sigh. He could tell she was reluctant to explain what was bothering her, but his persistence was unwavering, and she knew that.

"It's nothing really... Just, my emotions, I guess. They're not being released properly," she confessed.

Beast Boy felt a small blush rise to his cheeks as he could only imagine what she was referring to. He watched in horror as she opened her mouth to continue, and he quickly did the only thing he could think of to keep her from speaking.

Despite having kissed her multiple times, he had never initiated it. So it didn't come as much of a surprise when he missed her mouth slightly. But his lips soon found hers, and he closed his eyes tighter as he waited for her to feel better.

But, what _did _come as a surprise was her sudden gasp, before she pushed him away in disgust. Her face was contorted into a look of outrage, and she raised her hand as if she were about to slap him.

"What the _hell?!_"

Beast Boy gave her a sheepish smile as he shrunk away from her hand. Thankfully, she lowered it back onto her lap, though her expression was still one of complete anger.

"Uhm," the changeling started nervously, unsure of what he had done wrong, "s-sorry?"

He watched as she closed her eyes in frustration, before letting out a low growl. Opening her eyes again, he was elated to see that the dullness was replaced by raging fury. That was an improvement, wasn't it?

"I didn't mean _those _emotions, you idiot," she deadpanned, shooting him a glare. "I meant the emotions I release with _Starfire_."

Beast Boy slowly nodded his head in understanding as he felt his blush deepen. He had noticed that Raven's irritability had started to get worse as the alien remained sick, though he didn't think it was related. But with Starfire in the med-bay so often, they didn't have much time to hang out. Which meant those emotions were being bottled up.

"Oh," he muttered sheepishly, avoiding her gaze. "Uh, anything I can do to help?"

Raven let out a snort of amusement as she uncrossed her legs. "Not by kissing me. Despite what twisted little teenage boys think, girls' sleepovers don't consist of pillow-fights in our lingerie. We mainly indulge ourselves with sugary snacks and complain about boys."

Beast Boy let out a shy chuckle at her response, before chancing a glance at her. He hadn't seen her give a genuine smile all day, so when he caught sight of her signature smirk, he couldn't keep himself from grinning back.

Raven merely rolled her eyes fondly, before slipping back into her usual demeanor. Sighing wistfully, she shrugged her shoulders. "I'm sure I'll think of something, so there's no need to worry about me. Just be patient with me - that's all I ask."

Smiling softly, Beast Boy nodded in understanding. He didn't like the fact that she was, again, bottling up her emotions, but she obviously had an idea of what was best for her, and he didn't think it was his place to question it.

At least, not yet, anyway.

* * *

Psh, nosy nosy little Beast Boy - always trying to "help" and whatnot! Can't he see that Rae-Rae's an independent girl? She don't _need _no man!

So I guess I lied about when this would be up - I'm sorry! I thought I would have time to type it up and post it Friday, but the day just got away from me! Forgive me?


	6. Selfish

Can I ask for the rights to the Teen Titans for my birthday? Even though it's not my birthday yet? Is that okay? :P

* * *

Trying to figure out Raven was a lost cause, and Beast Boy was slowly realizing that. He knew that she was bound to be unpredictable, but her random mood swings were getting a bit ridiculous. She'd go from content, to angry, to somber, to sometimes even giddy. It was a bit unsettling, but somewhat understandable.

Starfire wasn't getting any better, but she also wasn't getting any worse. Cyborg was completely stumped, and Robin was torn between being a good leader and being a good boyfriend. She didn't seem to be contagious, and her symptoms weren't obvious, so letting her get back on the battle field seemed plausible, but Robin didn't want to chance anything until they knew what they were dealing with. Meaning Starfire was stuck in the med-bay, and Raven needed a new outlet for her emotions.

And for some strange reason, she chose Beast Boy.

Don't get him wrong - he was pretty ecstatic that she had thought of him. It confirmed that they were getting closer, which was all he really wanted. But now she was relying on him even more, and that was a bit overwhelming. And kind of confusing.

The first time it happened, he thought he had been dreaming. It was past midnight, and he had finally gotten comfortable as he snuggled into his bed. His body was tired, yet his mind was racing, so he was having trouble falling asleep. But right when he began to drift off, his door hissed open.

Sitting up immediately, his eyes took a moment to adjust to the lighting, and he saw something that he never thought he'd see.

Raven was standing in his doorway, a thick blue blanket wrapped around her in place of her cloak. He could see the bottoms of her pajama pants peek out from under the fabric, and he almost chuckled at the sight of her fuzzy white slippers.

Thankfully, he kept his composure as he sat up straighter, grateful that he had decided on wearing a shirt to bed. Not that he had anything to be ashamed of - the extra training was getting him pretty fit, and he was a few crunches away from a full-blown six-pack. But he didn't think Raven would appreciate him being half-naked.

He watched as she slowly made her way across his room, stepping over piles of clothing and maneuvering around stacks of comic books. She eventually made it to his bed, and he could make out the disgruntled expression on her face as she stood in a sliver of moonlight. Her eyes were a dull amethyst color, but still breathtaking. Her mouth was set in a frown, and her brows were furrowed slightly as her hair pooled around her face.

He was a bit taken aback by how beautiful she looked in that moment, and he suddenly became very self-conscious. Why was she coming to him? What did he have to offer that nobody else possessed? He wasn't anything special - he was freaking _Beast Boy_. The little green twerp of the team.

His pity-party was cut short when she suddenly sat beside him, and he quickly returned to the real world. She hadn't said anything, but he just knew that she wasn't here for a quick makeout session.

The silence that settled between them was broken by his door hissing closed, and after a few more moments, Raven let out a quiet sigh.

"Can... can we talk?"

Beast Boy wasn't expecting the softness in her voice, nor the pleading look in her eyes, and he found that he couldn't speak. Nodding instead, he was surprised when she scooted closer to him.

"I know this isn't what we agreed upon," she began shyly, tucking a few strands of her hair behind her ear, "but with Starfire sick, and Robin or Cyborg always by her side, I just didn't know who else to talk to."

"I understand." His voice cracked slightly, and he wanted to curl away in embarrassment, but thankfully Raven didn't comment on it. Instead, she climbed over his legs, earning a squeak of surprise from the changeling. Again, she paid no mind to it, and settled herself on the other side of him.

"You don't mind if I lay down for a while, do you?" she asked quietly. Without waiting for an answer, she began to fluff one of his spare pillows, and set it beside his. She then laid down beside him on her side, before grabbing his shoulder and pulling him down next to her.

He willfully complied, though the whole situation was beyond surreal. As he settled beside her, she immediately gravitated towards him and nuzzled her head against his shoulder while lying her arm across his chest. He took the initiative to wrap his own arm around her shoulders, hoping that it would be more comfortable for the both of them.

A few moments of awkward silence passed between them, before it became too much for him to handle. Clearing his throat, he waited for her to take the hint and begin speaking.

"Don't tell me you're getting sick, too," she deadpanned, her breath tickling his collarbone.

He let out a snort of amusement, before replying with a quiet "no."

"Good. I don't think I could handle it if the both of you were," she admitted dryly.

Beast Boy smiled at her confession, though he could feel the air around them getting heavy. He wasn't sure what she wanted to talk about, but something told him she wasn't there for a little chit-chat.

"What did you want to, uh, talk about?" he asked hesitantly. He felt her stiffen beside him, before she exhaled slowly.

"Anything."

"_Anything?_" he repeated quizzically. Raven was never one to talk for the sake of talking, so he was a little put off by her answer. There had to have been a catch.

"Well, nothing _stupid_, obviously," she snapped, before bringing herself closer to him.

He felt a small chuckle rise in his throat, though he did pretty well at suppressing it. Searching his mind for anything she'd deem as suitable conversation, he let out a low whistle.

"Hmm, I didn't realize 'talking' was a part of this thing we had," he joked.

She responded by smacking his across the chest, and he had to bite back a howl of pain.

"I don't want to talk about _that_, either," she growled, though he could hear the humor in her voice. Smiling to himself, he shook his head in amusement.

"Then what _can _we talk about? You think pretty much _everything _is stupid. Comic books, video games, tofu - heck, basically everything _I _like. You're not leaving me with many options."

He waited for her to suggest something, but she remained silent. It was then that he realized her breathing had become more relaxed, and the arm across his chest had gone limp. He lifted his head from his pillow, only to see that her eyes were shut and her lips were parted ever so slightly. She looked as if she were meditating, only her brows weren't furrowed in concentration. He had never seen her look so peaceful.

Lying his head back down, he smiled to himself as he realized that they hadn't talked much, but she seemed to have felt a little better. And that's what was important, wasn't it?

* * *

He wasn't surprised to find his bed empty when he woke up in the morning. Raven made a habit of fleeing after all of their encounters, and last night was no different. Climbing out of his bed, he quickly changed into his uniform and hurried towards the med-bay. Even though she insisted she was fine, he always checked up on Starfire.

She was sitting in her bed, lazily flipping through a magazine as Cyborg took another blood sample. It was a little disheartening to see her so bored, but if it meant she was getting better, then it was for a good cause.

Beast Boy quietly slipped into the room, not wanting to startle the half-robot with the giant needle.

"Alright, Star - I'll just take a look at this sample, and if I give the all clear, Robin'll take you off of bed rest!" Cyborg announced with a grin.

The alien's eyes lit up in excitement as she clapped her hands together. "Oh! That is most glorious news! I have been stirring in the crazy!"

"It's stir crazy, Star," Beast Boy laughed.

Starfire whipped her head around to face him, a surprised smile on her face. "Oh, hello Beast Boy! I have been anticipating your visit!"

The changeling smirked at her excitement as he sat himself on the bed beside hers. "What for?" he asked.

The alien set down the magazine as she gave her teammate a large smile. "Well, I was hoping you could tell me about yesterday's mission," she admitted with a shrug. "I have missed the action."

Beast Boy gave his teammate a small smile as he made himself comfortable. "Well, you know how much of a pain Mad Mod can be..."

Starfire had listened to him intently, her eyes shining in awe. He had forgotten how much child-like wonder the alien possessed, and how she loved stories. He idly wondered why Raven hadn't been catching her up on everything - it seemed like the perfect way to vent out some emotions, as well as satiate Starfire's craving for the battle field.

He finished his retelling just as Robin and Raven walked into the room, followed by a grim-looking Cyborg and a confused Kid Flash. Sensing they were about to hear bad news, Beast Boy immediately stopped talking.

His eyes focused in on Raven, whose expression remained blank, although he could see anger flashing in her eyes. He stood up slowly, looking between the group and his bedridden teammate.

"Uh, guys?" he began hesitantly, rubbing the back of his neck. "What's going on -"

"I need to speak with Starfire privately," Robin announced, cutting the changeling off. Beast Boy could feel the tension hanging over them, and suddenly found himself incredibly concerned for his teammate.

"O-okay?" he agreed, before following the others out of the room. Once the doors closed behind them, Raven turned around to face him.

"Don't worry, Beast Boy. It isn't anything bad," she assured quietly. Beast Boy furrowed his brows in confusion as he watched the other two head further down the hall, before he directed his sights back to the empath.

"What's going on, then? Why's Robin acting all doom-y?"

Raven let out a labored sigh, before glancing back at their departing teammates. She then grabbed Beast Boy's wrist and pulled him down the hall in the opposite direction. He allowed himself to get dragged along, unsure of why she was opting for such secrecy.

Once they were out of ear shot and eye sight, she turned herself towards him, her expression annoyed.

"Robin's being an idiot," she deadpanned, crossing her arms over her chest and leaning her shoulder against the wall.

Beast Boy mirrored her stance, his worry slowly being replaced by amusement.

"What'd he do?" he asked with a smirk.

Raven rolled her eyes in exasperation, before explaining their leader's idiocy. "Well, Starfire is only slightly contagious - to _humans_. So Robin is in there explaining to her why she can't go on missions until she's cured. But he happens to _be _human, and didn't see the stupidity in his plan. What happens if he catches this weird alien disease? He's been exposing himself to it for days now, and he thinks that he's somehow immune to it because of that, and I'm sorry, but that is the stupidest thing I've ever heard."

Beast Boy felt a pang of sympathy for his redheaded teammate, who was undoubtedly going to take the news pretty hard. But the fact that his leader was being so blatantly stupid made him crack a small smile.

"I'm sure Star will point it out to him," he replied with a laugh.

Raven nodded in agreement, though she still looked far from amused. He wasn't sure if it was because of Robin's decision, or her own problems.

"Well, at least Star will be able to talk with you, right? Cyborg won't have to take as many tests, so you guys will have more privacy, right?"

Raven gave him a tired look, before huffing in frustration. "It won't be the same. I can't explain it, but with her being so... depressed... she's not making me feel any better. Her aura's off."

Beast Boy cocked his head to the side as he weighed her words in his head. "So, she's too sad... to make you happy?" he guessed.

The half-demon shot him a quick glare, obviously irritated by his simple translation. "I'd like to think it's more complicated than that, but yes, that's basically it," she replied dryly.

Smirking triumphantly, Beast Boy puffed out his chest dramatically. "Handsome _and _smart - wow Rae, you're sure missing out!" he teased.

He could see a small blush forming on the empath's cheeks, and found that she was suddenly avoiding eye contact with him. He wondered if she was still upset by how lightly he was taking their situation, but he figured that joking about it was better than being all serious. It kept it from getting too awkward.

"You are so vain," she muttered after a while, before pushing past him.

He barely caught sight of her smirk, so he knew she wasn't mad at him - but she was still opting to avoid him. Not wanting her to leave with that mind-set, he quickly spun around and called after her.

"Wait, Rae!"

She stopped mid step, glancing back at him from over her shoulder.

"What, Beast Boy?"

The green titan felt his own face flush as he realized he wasn't sure what to say.

"Uhm... Just, uh, knock next time, okay?"

He could see her eyes widen slightly as she remembered her late-night visit, and she quickly whipped her head back around and started down the hall once more.

"I'll try to remember that," she replied dryly, before turning the corner and disappearing from sight. Beast Boy stared after her for a moment longer, before making his way back towards the med-bay. He knew Starfire probably wasn't going to be in the best mood, but figured Robin might need a little help in leaving the room safely. Despite the alien loving the boy wonder to death, she never took his overbearing protectiveness too well.

* * *

Raven didn't knock, like he had asked. But he never really expected her to listen.

Beast Boy didn't even bother to sit up as he watched her cross the room, and he quickly made room for her as she neared him. But, like she had done the night before, she opted to instead climb over him.

"I like sleeping next to the wall," she explained in her monotone, after noticing the changeling's bewildered look.

Shrugging to himself, Beast Boy quickly made room for her as she placed her head upon his shoulder once more. This time, though, she was lying beside him on her back, and they both were staring blankly at the bottom of his top bunk.

"Starfire's really upset," Raven announced quietly, breaking the silence that had settled between them.

Beast Boy waited patiently for her to continue, having decided that it was her turn to scramble for something to talk about.

But the empath didn't seem to mind as she continued. "She's acting like she's fine, though - putting up a front like she knows it's for the best. She'd never want to expose any kind of sickness to civilians. But she's upset, and it's hard for me to deal with."

She trailed off tiredly, and Beast Boy wondered if she had talked herself to sleep. He was about to lift his head up and check, but her shaky sigh stopped him.

"I'm being really selfish, aren't I?" she asked quietly. "She's always there for me, but when something goes wrong for her, I'm nowhere to be found."

The changeling held his tongue as his teammate snuggled closer to him, and he couldn't decide what was worse. An angry, bitchy Raven, or a sad, self-conscious one.

"But I just can't deal with that kind of strain right now," she continued, obviously content with the one-sided conversation. "My emotions are unstable, and I've just barely gotten control over my powers. If I try playing therapist, I might only make things worse."

Beast Boy knew that it was time to say something comforting, but he couldn't think of anything that would make her feel better. But he wanted to make her feel better, and he loved that she was seeking help from him. And even though it was beyond both of their control, and he, too, felt bad for the alien, he was somewhat elated that Raven was coming to him. Did that make him selfish, too?

"I'm sure she understands, Rae," he assured quietly. It was true - Starfire was fully aware of the way Raven's powers worked, and the empath's absence was probably expected.

"I know she does," Raven confessed, her voice slightly less monotoned. "And I think that just makes me feel worse. She's a much better friend to me than I am to her."

Beast Boy wasn't sure what to say. He knew for a fact that what Raven said was untrue, but he had no idea how to back up his claims. Instead, he hesitantly pulled her closer, and felt himself sigh in relief when she didn't chew him out for it. Maybe talking wasn't what she needed right now.

"Just go to sleep, Rae," he suggested softly as he felt her snuggle closer to him. "Stressing about it isn't helping you, either."

Raven seemed to agree as she pulled her blanket around her tighter, and turned herself onto her side. As she laid her arm across his chest again, Beast Boy patiently waited for her breathing to relax before he even dared to close his eyes.

Maybe he was a little selfish when it came to certain things, but he knew he'd always put Raven's well-being before his own.

* * *

That was a little more dramatic than I'm used to (though that's really not saying much lol), but I hope I threw in enough fluff to balance it out?

Anywhoo, I just want to say thank you for all the reviews and whatnot! They really mean a lot to me, and I just love the fact that you guys seem to be enjoying this! And I know it's not that far from my usual stuff, but I am gradually making this a little more serious, so I hope it'll turn out!

Maybe leave a review? I love reading new ones! Or follow or favorite!


	7. Strength

Maybe I'm just not meant to own the Teen Titans...

* * *

Things were starting to get weird. But, not in the traditional sense of the word. It was beginning to feel weird, because it was beginning to feel _normal_. Being intimate with Raven was no longer strange - it was just a part of his day. And that was weird.

But _not_ weird.

He obviously had no idea how to explain it - it _should have_ been weird, so it was weird that it _wasn't _weird. But even that still confused him.

Beast Boy let out an agitated sigh as he splashed his face with cold water. They had just gotten back from a mission involving Cinderblock, and the changeling was covered head to toe in a fine layer of dust. But because training was scheduled next, he knew there would be no point in showering. Looking up at his reflection, he lazily traced his finger over a deep cut above his brow. The cut would most likely need stitches, if he had a normal life, but thankfully the resident empath could heal it up in a matter of seconds, without even a scar to show for it.

But Raven wouldn't be at training with him that afternoon; Robin assigned her to train with Starfire, since the half-demon wasn't susceptible to whatever strange disease the alien had. Their leader figured that keeping his girlfriend on bed-rest wouldn't do any good, so he had agreed that she could continue training, but without him. Common sense had finally caught up with him, after several lectures from the empath and half-robot.

Beast Boy was happy that Starfire had something to do. She had been bedridden for nearly a month, and though her symptoms had basically vanished, Cyborg still couldn't give her the all clear. There was a strange toxin floating around in her system, and the robotic titan had done several blood tests, and realized that, if exposed to it for too long, Starfire's presence alone could potentially kill a human. And, obviously, nobody wanted that to happen.

Luckily, Raven, Kid Flash, and Beast Boy, himself, seemed to be immune to the toxin, thanks to the bizarre nature of their genetic makeup. Cyborg was also immune to it, due to the mechanics of several of his engineered organs. The only member who had to take extreme precautions was Robin, though he had been rather careless at the start. Starfire had only showed the symptoms of a cold, and their fearless leader had done everything in his power to rid her of it - meaning he spent an awful lot of time in the same room as her. Thankfully, his extremely dedicated personal-hygiene routine had kept him from catching anything, but Cyborg continuously took blood samples, just in case.

Beast Boy knew it must have been hard for the couple - Starfire loved all kinds of physical interactions. She was a notorious hugger, snuggler, and hand-holder. But now, she couldn't even be in the same room as Robin for more than five minutes. And though their leader did his best to deny it, Beast Boy knew Robin was having a hard time not being able to touch his girlfriend at all.

Their relationship had basically turned into the exact opposite of the changeling's relationship with Raven. Starfire and Robin shared the feelings, but couldn't touch, whereas the other two shared nothing but friendship, and often times the same bed.

And _that _was definitely weird. Beast Boy still couldn't wrap his mind around the _idea _of being intimate with Raven, though the _act _was somewhat normal. He no longer blushed when she cuddled with him on the couch, nor did he hesitant when she'd lean in for a kiss. It was like a second nature to him now - part of his routine. Eat, sleep, play video games, fight bad guys, and kiss Raven. Obviously not in that order, but that was really the gist of his day. But sometimes they wouldn't kiss; sometimes she'd come to him, just for the sake of having someone around.

He liked when that happened. He liked it a lot.

He liked just being in the same room as her. The sound of her voice was oddly soothing, but even just the sound of her breathing relaxed him. They didn't have to talk, though he thoroughly enjoyed their conversations. He especially enjoyed when she'd open up to him.

So far, Beast Boy had learned that he and Raven had a lot in common - a less-than-desirable childhood, a fear of losing control, and, for lack of a better term, a romantic-betrayal. But they also shared a love for nature, though Raven preferred viewing it through a window, whereas Beast Boy knew there was nothing better than reconnecting with the earth by actually touching it. The both of them also hated the smell of freshly cut grass, which the changeling had found to be an incredibly unique trait to share. They both loved waffles, hated grape-flavored candy, and couldn't roll their tongues.

Beast Boy had never thought he would learn so much about her - though, in all honesty, he never really tried. When he was younger, he was determined to be her friend, but he hadn't gone about it the right way. Instead of taking his time to get to know her, he had carelessly thrown them into situations that grudgingly pulled them closer.

But now he was actually talking _with _her, rather than just _to _her. And he loved it.

But the silent times spent with her were great, too. Just letting her soak in his aura was enough to make him feel useful, even if all he was doing was taking a nap. She had said that the lightness he gave off helped to calm her tremendously, and his inner bits of darkness reminded her that she wasn't the only one struggling with something. Beast Boy hadn't liked the idea of her sensing his self-doubt at first, but he was slowly getting over it.

But right now, all he wanted to do was get training over with. He hated the new training regiment with just the guys; Robin basically used the time for strength-training, since the girls no longer had a say. But Starfire and Raven weren't the only two annoyed by the idea of weight-lifting; Beast Boy hated it as well. He relied on shifting when in battle, and though keeping a good physique helped a bit, bulking up wouldn't do a thing for when he was a sparrow. It wasn't like he ran around, doing flips and round-house kicking baddies. He'd just ram into them in the form of a ram, and then laugh about it afterwards. Rams didn't lift weights.

Luckily, Kid Flash wasn't too into bulking up either, so the two of them would spar. Rumors of a power-canceling device had been circulating through the superhero world for a while now, and though he didn't want to turn into a total beef-head, Beast Boy figured knowing how to fight as a human was a good fall-back plan. After hitting his growth spurt a year prior, Beast Boy no longer held the title of shortest team-member, though he still was the lankiest. Not to say he didn't have muscle - he just didn't have gratuitous amounts of it. He wasn't a body-builder, but he was definitely fitter than the average Joe.

But Robin was still bulkier, and Starfire and Cyborg were still stronger - though that was to be expected. And though he was probably physically stronger than Raven, he would never describe _her _as lanky. But he never let his mind wander any further than that - which was pretty impressive, since she was basically throwing herself at him every other day.

Shaking away those thoughts, Beast Boy gave his reflection once last glance before slipping out of the bathroom, only to run into the empath herself. She, too, was covered in dust, though her eyes were shining surprisingly bright.

"Oh, there you are."

He knew what that statement entailed - she needed him.

He didn't stop her as she pushed him back into their shared bathroom, and he didn't protest as she turned and locked the door. He didn't flinch as she turned back around and came closer, and he didn't even blink as she placed her hand on his face.

What did come as a surprise, though, was the soothing sensation of her powers as she quickly healed up his cut.

"You really need to come to me right away when you're injured like that - you don't want to risk infection. Especially with Starfire already spreading weird diseases around the tower," she lectured lightly, her monotone the only thing normal with her sentence. She never really cared too much about whether or not he had a cut, but now she was all of a sudden ordering _him _to be more careful. Honestly, the girl confused the hell out of him.

"Uh, sorry?" he replied with a shrug, giving her a strange look.

"No need to apologize - it's your own health that's at risk. Though I'd prefer if you tried to remain healthy, to the best of your abilities, because you're not much use to me otherwise."

She must have noticed his offended look, for she quickly added, "Besides being my friend."

Beast Boy rolled his eyes at her quick save, though he was pretty sure she was being genuine. Their friendship wasn't just his imagination. Wondering idly if she only planned on healing him, he attempted to exit the room, but she held her arm out to stop him.

"Not so fast, Beast Boy."

Sighing dramatically, the changeling gave him teammate a bored look.

"Raaae, we're supposed to go to traaaining," he whined playfully.

Raven merely arched her brow, before motioning him back towards the sink with the nod of her head.

With another sigh, Beast Boy complied absently as he moved towards the sink. He wasn't sure what she was wanting, but the effort of arguing with her seemed like too much.

"I just need to talk," she explained dryly when he turned back around to face her. She quickly made her way to the sink, before pulling herself onto the counter and crossing her legs. Beast Boy mirrored her position as he pulled himself up on the other side.

"And you can't talk to Star?" he wondered aloud, earning a slight glare from the half-demon.

"Not about _this_," she drawled, motioning between the two of them with her hand. Beast Boy's eyes widened in realization, and he suddenly felt a bit panicky. Raven _never _talked about _them_.

"Uh, what about... this?"

He watched as she leaned her head back against the mirror behind her, before letting a frustrated huff slip past her lips.

"Is..." she began timidly, shooting him a fleeting glance, before redirecting her sights to the shower on the opposite side of the room from them. "Is it weird that this doesn't feel weird, anymore?"

Beast Boy was a bit taken aback by the echoing of his earlier thoughts, and Raven seemed to have taken his silence the wrong way.

"I mean, I don't mean I _like _this or anything, if that's what you're thinking. I just meant that it's not awkward for me, anymore. Well, at least it _wasn't_, but now I'm probably making it awkward."_  
_

Letting out a quiet laugh at her rare rambling, Beast Boy waved his hands in front of him dismissively. "No, no, I agree!" he assured, still smiling. "I was actually thinking the exact same thing earlier."

Raven gave him a relieved look, before furrowing her brows in thought.

"Why... why is that?"

The changeling let out a low whistle as he tried to figure it out. Obviously, they were just _friends_. So it wasn't like they were falling for each other or anything - and he knew she knew that. She probably just wanted to know _why _their routine was becoming so... _routine_, and _why _neither of them found their arrangement strange.

"I think we're just getting closer - as _friends_, of course," he guessed, adding a shrug for good measure. She seemed to weigh his words in her head, before furrowing her brows once more.

"This doesn't seem like the healthiest way of achieving that," she mused, giving him a pointed look.

Beast Boy shrugged again, not knowing what to say. "Well, sure, it's a roundabout way of building a friendship, but I've been dying to be your friend since we met, so I'm all for it!"

Raven seemed to be put off by his statement as she arched her brows incredulously, and the changeling quickly scrambled to amend his sentence.

"You know, since I'm good friends with everyone else! I just wanted to make sure we were friends, too, since we live together and all..."

He let out a quiet sigh of relief as she seemed to accept his answer. A somewhat awkward silence settled between them as she stared off in thought, before turning back to face him.

"So, you think our friendship has gotten stronger?" she questioned hesitantly, obviously not understanding his view.

Beast Boy nodded animatedly, a cheeky smile spreading across his face. "Well, yeah!" he enthused, turning himself to face her better. "I mean, we're actually _talking_, and learning about each other, and we rarely fight much anymore!"

He was surprised by the incredulous scoff that slipped out of his teammate's mouth as she gave him an amused look.

"_Rarely?_ Please, Beast Boy - we argue _constantly_."

The green titan let out a snort of amusement as he shook his head. "Uh, no; we _barely _ever argue anymore," he protested.

Raven let out a dry laugh of her own as she regarded him skeptically. "That sentence doesn't have a single ounce of truth to it - we _always _argue."

Again, Beast Boy shook his head. "We do _not_."

"Do _to_."

"Do _not_."

"Do _to_."

"Okay, fine; when was our last argument, hmm?" he challenged, giving his teammate a knowing smirk.

Raven returned it as she answered, "We're arguing _right now_, Beast Boy."

The changeling opened his mouth to retaliate, until he realized that she was right. Huffing in defeat, he shot her a wavering glare.

"Yeah, well, you started it on purpose, just to prove yourself right."

The half-demon merely rolled her eyes at his response, before tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear and letting out a labored sigh.

"We should probably get to training," she suggested after a few minutes of silence.

Beast Boy nodded his agreement as he slipped off of the counter, landing on his feet with a dull thud. Raven did the same, only barely making a sound as her boots hit the floor. The changeling suddenly found himself a little jealous of her effortless grace, and wondered why he was burdened to be such a klutz.

As he continued to ponder over it, he didn't notice the small puddle of water on the floor before him, and proceeded to lose his footing. In an attempt to keep himself from falling, he grabbed onto the empath, who wasn't prepared to handle his excess weight, and he pulled her down with him. He landed on his butt, with his teammate haphazardly in his lap.

She looked beyond annoyed as she glared at him, before she quickly removed herself from his person.

"You were right about one thing, Beast Boy," she deadpanned, standing herself up as he scrambled back onto his own feet.

"What?" he asked, genuinely curious, albeit a bit scared of her answer.

She observed him coolly, before turning herself towards the door and unlocking it.

"We've definitely become better friends," she replied dryly, shooting him a glare from over her shoulder. "Otherwise, I probably would have killed you by now."

* * *

So I think I've built up the friendship pretty well, so that means phase one is complete! Now, for phase two: the development of feelings! And that's sure to be a bunch of awkward! Also, I'm planning on bringing Jinx in a bit later to add a little chaos and dynamic, and maybe unknowingly give BB a hard time as he faces the fact that he and Rae-Rae are totes endgame!

Also, since I usually make RobStar the happy couple in my fics, I decided to give them a few obstacles to overcome, even if it's just the side plot. I think it'll give our favorite little lovebirds in denial some perspective to see those two go through some rough patches. But don't worry, although I am planning on making this story a little more serious, I am also a sucker for a happy ending. So the RobStar is safe, and the BBRae is probably definite. And then I love me some Flinx, so of course that's being thrown in. And Cyborg is an independent guy who don't need no woman to make him feel complete. (Also, I'm not the best CyBee writer, since I don't know Bumble Bee's character _too well_.) And not everybody needs to be paired up!

Anywhoo, leave a review? Oh, and I want to know how you guys feel about this story being solely in BB's perspective so far - yay? Nay? I personally have fun writing him, since he's such a goof, but then my Raven always comes off a bit harsh when you're not aware of her thought process. So how do y'all feel?


	8. Old Beast Boy

I've literally dreamt of writing fanfics and putting up disclaimers. I can't even own the Teen Titans in my dreams. How sad is that?

* * *

Sometimes Beast Boy wondered if the world was out to get him. He wondered if he had done something so completely horrible in a past life that the universe decided to send a butt-load of bad-karma his way. Maybe he had been a mass-murderer, or committed tax fraud.

There was no way one person could have such bad luck - at least, not without a good reason.

He was absolutely fantastic at video games... at least until he was pitted against someone else. Then all of his skills vanished, and he was always rewarded with second place. He also did great during training. He'd morph and shift beautifully, knowing exactly what animal to be at exactly what time. But then he'd be on a mission, and screw it all up. He also considered himself quite the ladies man... when he was alone, practicing his lines in front of a mirror. But then he'd go out in the world, smile at a cute girl, and she'd either laugh in his face or act like he wasn't there.

Was the green _really _that unappealing?

He was always depicted in the tabloids as a very sought-after bachelor, but when he was faced with the girls who had said that, they'd giggle and smile and nothing would come from it. It was as if the _idea _of dating a green superhero was attractive, but the actual _act _was absurd. And that only fueled his idea that he was destined to be alone.

His track record with girls was laughable. Terra seemed like a perfect match for him - cute, smiley, not afraid to break a nail. But of course she just had to have all those "control issues" and conspire with one of his worst enemies and attempt to kill him and all of his best friends. And that was a bit of a deal-breaker.

There were also several civilian girls he approached - and that never ended well. They'd seem excited to meet him, but shy away from any attempt he made at getting to know them better. Sure, they were fans, but they didn't exactly act like fanatics when in his presence. He couldn't even count how many times he had been turned down.

There was also his first crush. He blamed it on never really talking to girls before meeting her, and he'd deny it if anyone ever asked him. It was embarrassing, and cringe-inducing, and made him want to bury his head beneath his pillows and pretend the world disappeared.

He wasn't even sure _why _it happened. It had to have been bad judgement on his part - there was no other explanation. He saw a girl, actually _talked _to her, and then ended up forming a team and _living _with her.

And even after he realized she was a complete and utter pain in the ass, the crush lasted months.

He blamed the Doom Patrol. Mento never let him interact with kids his age, so when he finally met a girl who couldn't have been much older than him, that little unexplored part of his brain went into overdrive, and he had loss any and all common sense.

How else could he explain having a crush on _Raven?_

Nothing ever came of it - _obviously. _He eventually found his senses, and realized what a terrible idea it was to _like _her. She was moody, and cruel, and sarcastic, and everything he never imagined he'd like. It was just a spur of the moment decision; he saw a girl who happened to be not unattractive, and she talked to him as if he wasn't completely incompetent. Well, at least, at _first_. But then when the insults came, he found he still liked her. Her remarks reminded him of being back with the Doom Patrol, and eased a bit of his homesickness. And by then, she had forgone her cloak several times and proved that she was _really _not unattractive, so the crush lasted a bit longer. _  
_

But he got over it around the time Terra showed up, and he hadn't revisited those thoughts in years. There was no point, really. He was Beast Boy, and Raven was Raven, and the thought of them together was hilariously absurd.

And despite their new arrangement, those old feelings remained buried beneath all of his other painfully embarrassing memories. There was no point in digging it all up - she had made things perfectly clear. They were nothing more than _friends_, and their situation was nothing more than a _convenience_. He had no reason to look deeper into it - because there was _nothing _to look for.

So when Robin sent him and Raven out on a mission together, and some low-life criminal punk flirted with her, he had no reason to be upset.

Red-X was notoriously annoying - despite the fact that he wasn't even Robin anymore. It was like the suit turned anyone who wore it into some cocky, egocentric douche. It was a cursed object, really.

Usually the dude would hit on Starfire - another curse of the ensemble must have been finding the alien attractive. Not that she wasn't - Beast Boy knew his teammate was a pretty girl, but he was _so _not attracted to her. It would be a little too incest-y for his tastes.

But anyway, the dude usually hit on Starfire and drove Robin insane. But Starfire was restricted to the tower, and Robin was with Kid Flash on the other side of town responding to a different alert, so it seemed Red-X decided to try his usual tactic on the changeling and half-demon.

He must not have been aware of Raven's dislike of being flirted with, because the horribly unmanly squeal that slipped through his lips when she captured him with her dark energy didn't seem intended.

Beast Boy watched in amusement as she pulled the villain closer, her glare unwavering and his panic unmistakable. The criminal was scrambling for a way to escape, frantically clawing at the ground. Sadly, he remembered his ability to teleport, and took advantage of it right as Beast Boy went to apprehend him.

Thankfully, though, his sack of stolen goodies was left behind, and the two titans were able to return the items to the ransacked store.

"Well, that went pretty well," Beast Boy mused as the two excited the jewelry shop.

Naturally, Raven shot him a glare.

"He escaped, Beast Boy," she deadpanned, directing her sights back to the road in front of them. "_Again_."

Beast Boy rolled his eyes fondly as he sat down on the curb. "He always escapes, Rae," he laughed, shaking his head in amusement, "but I think he'll think twice before calling you 'cute' again."

Raven let out an irritated growl as she lowered herself beside him, her eyes fixed on the flashing red and blue lights in the distance.

"I liked it better when he flirted with Starfire," she huffed, crossing her arms over her chest.

The changeling nodded in agreement. "Me, too," he blurted, before feeling his face flush.

Raven shot him a sideways glance, her eyebrow arching skeptically, and Beast Boy frantically scrambled for a way to amend his reply.

"Y-you know, 'cuz Robin always gets so... so angry and red, and it's r-really funny," he added awkwardly, expertly avoiding eye contact.

He could feel her eyes lingering on him as she regarded his answer, before she finally turned away. Letting out a relieved sigh, Beast Boy wondered where the hell that had come from.

Sure, in retrospect, the criminal flirting with Starfire _did _piss him off a bit, but Robin's reaction always lightened the mood and lessened the tension. So when the villain decided to hit on another teammate, and nobody had a Robin-reaction, the anger was left to stew inside. And sure, Raven's initial reaction was entertaining enough, but the fact that nobody else came to her defense left a bad taste in Beast Boy's mouth. He knew that _he _couldn't have defended her; it would have raised way too many concerns within Raven. So the fact that the dude had essentially gotten away with hitting on the empath didn't sit well.

So, naturally, he liked it better when Red-X flirted with Starfire, too. But rather than explain his reasoning to his teammate, Beast Boy kept his mouth shut and waited patiently as Raven recalled the quick battle to the authorities, and apologized for neglecting to apprehend the villain.

Again.

He also remained silent when Raven debriefed Robin back at the tower. Their leader was visibly upset, though he kept his cool long enough to thank them for doing their best.

But Raven apparently took that as sarcasm, because when the two of them left the room to head back to their own bedrooms, she decided to vent her frustrations out loud.

"He just acts as if he's the only one who even tries on this team - and that is completely absurd!"

Beast Boy nodded in agreement, still feeling slightly awkward as he idly thought about what he had said earlier. He really hoped Raven hadn't misconstrued his words.

"And it's not like _he's _ever been able to capture Red-X, either," she continued, her monotone sounding strangely calm, though her furrowed brows giving away her anger. "In all honesty, it's _his _fault that the guy is so difficult to catch. If he had _trusted _us in the first place, this suit wouldn't have even existed - or at least not be so advanced."

Beast Boy nodded absently, still lost in his own thoughts. But as they came across Raven's door, he noticed that she had neglected to stop.

"And did you know Robin is _still _trying to sneak into the med-bay to see Starfire? I mean, he recites protocol over and over again, and talks about following the rules and never hiding anything, and then he goes and pulls a stunt like _that? _He could literally _die _from whatever the hell Starfire has, and yet he can't even stay away from her for more than two days. She's had to call Cyborg down almost every night! _She's _more concerned about the rule-breaking than _he _is!"

Beast Boy felt his heart clench as he listened to Raven vent. He knew that Starfire loved Robin and would do anything to be with him, but the fact that she was ignoring her own needs in favor of their leader's health was quite admirable. And then hearing that their leader was being a total idiot and disregarding Cyborg's warnings was pretty shocking. Everything was backwards.

But what was even _more _shocking was the fact that he and Raven had reached _his _room, and she was _still _venting to him.

"I just can't even deal with him right now," she mused, seemingly unphased by Beast Boy's confused expression as the two of them entered his room. "This tower is just filling up with so much negativity and sadness, and it's really getting to me. I can't even properly express half of my emotions anymore."

Beast Boy watched as the empath walked towards his bed, before climbing in and reclaiming her usual spot. She still seemed completely unaware of the strangeness of the situation as she stared absently at the bottom of his top bunk.

"I'm really grateful that you're still being so cooperative in putting up with me," she mused suddenly, shaking Beast Boy from his stupor.

He slowly made his way towards his bed, maneuvering past his messes and regarding the half-demon skeptically. Sitting on his bed, he was a little hesitant on laying down beside her, but a quick glare from his teammate hurried him. She automatically scooted closer, though their position felt less intimate than usual. She turned to her side and hugged his arm to her, keeping her head firmly on his spare pillow. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't a little disappointed, but he'd be an idiot if he said it out loud.

"I know we still have a lot of adjusting to do, but the fact that you're so willingly here for me means a lot, Beast Boy," she continued, closing her eyes delicately.

Beast Boy turned his head to face her, his stomach churning uncomfortably. He figured that the less intimate position would be welcomed, but for some reason, he was hoping she'd revert back to full-on cuddling with him. Or at least scooting a little closer.

He watched as her breathing became even, and her face relaxed, before taking the initiative to scoot closer himself. Thankfully, she didn't wake up, but her iron grip on his arm made the quest of cuddling nearly impossible.

He wasn't sure why he wanted to get closer - he always felt awkward when she wrapped herself around him. Maybe he was just worried that she was pulling away? That she _wasn't _needing him as much anymore, despite what she had said?

Whatever the reason, it only fueled his earlier thoughts of being a magnet for bad-luck. Of course she'd pull away as soon as he started to get used to it. He had noticed it happening ever since Starfire's quarantine from Robin. The empath was obviously picking up on the alien's distress, and it was affecting the way she expressed her emotional release with the changeling. They hadn't even kissed in almost three days, and though Beast Boy knew it meant nothing, it didn't mean he didn't _enjoy_ kissing her. He _really _enjoyed it. He _liked _kissing Raven - even if they remained completely platonic. He _wanted _to stay just friends with her, but he also wanted to kiss her.

It was confusing and annoying, and he hated it. But he also _didn't _hate it, and wanted it to continue. _Progress_, even. But now she was needing less of the_ benefits_, and more of the _friends_, and even though that was what he had wanted at first, he was hoping she'd change her mind again. Because the friends part was great - but so was kissing her. And they had been doing a lot less of that.

He suddenly found his eyes zoning in on her mouth, and he watched as her lips flitted slightly with every breath she took. It wasn't fair that she could just spring this arrangement on him, and then change the rules as she pleases. She had set the rules at the beginning, but now she wasn't even taking advantage of them. Why would she act as if she was going to ambush him at all times, but then barely come to him for anything more than a quick cuddle? He was reduced to nothing more than a heated body pillow.

Sighing to himself, Beast Boy turned his head away from her and stared up at his top bunk. He hadn't slept up there since his growth spurt, and he had been seriously considering getting rid of the thing and switching to a queen. After all, the twin sized bed didn't exactly have much room for two people, but it did require them to be in close quarters. So maybe he'd get a full-sized bed. Something that seemed more mature, but at the same time required Raven to really snuggle up to him when she slept over.

Beast Boy quickly shook away those thoughts as he closed his eyes. He couldn't risk thinking about stuff like that. Last time he had slept on that top bunk, he was barely getting over his crush on the girl beside him. And even though his feelings were nothing more than puppy-love, revisiting that bunk probably wouldn't be the best idea.

So he continued to bury those thoughts above him, ignoring the fact that his analogy wasn't making any sense. Old Beast Boy slept on the top bunk. Old Beast Boy had crushes on girls he could never get. Old Beast Boy had bad luck.

New Beast Boy needed a new bed. And New Beast Boy was going to ask for a new one in the morning. And New Beast Boy wasn't going to dwell on the fact that Raven wasn't kissing him anymore, because that would only lead to thinking like Old Beast Boy.

New Beast Boy was going to turn his luck around. He was going to beat Cyborg at video games, and capture Red-X, and be content with helping his friend - despite whether or not she needed what he wanted.

New Beast Boy was mature, and talented, and helpful, and _confident _with being green. Because the girls were going to flock to New Beast Boy, and _he'd _be the one turning them down.

Feeling a smile creep onto his face, he barely noticed as Raven began to scoot closer to him, and instead fell asleep, confident that New Beast Boy was going to be totally awesome.

* * *

Sorry for the delay - busy busy weekend lol! A happy weekend, too! :D

So obviously BB is a bit confused on what Raven wants from him. He knows that they're just friends, and he doesn't necessarily _like _her, but he ended up liking the benefits part more than he expected. And since the tower's aura is getting all out of whack, Raven is needing different things from him. And BB doesn't know how to feel about that.

Also, Starfire isn't any better or any worse, and I plan on going into more detail on her illness next chapter. Sooo, yeah!

Anywhoo, maybe leave a review? :)


	9. Crackpot Conspiracies

Disclaimers are lame, yo. Only lame people put disclaimers. Psh, I _never_ put disclaimers - I live on the edge. I'm not lame.

* * *

Beast Boy woke up in his bed, alone. But that really wasn't a surprise; it was completely normal. But what _did _surprise him was seeing his ceiling above him, rather than his top bunk.

But after a few minutes of blinking in confusion, he remembered that he had asked for a new bed a few days ago, and that he was given one.

And it was a great bed.

It had a metal frame, with no headboard. It was low to the ground, which made it the perfect bed to walk to and flop down on. The mattress was firm, but Cyborg had custom-made the topper, which was basically a cloud. Beast Boy even bought himself a new bed set, with perfectly fluffed pillows, silky smooth sheets, and a large, thick comforter. And to convey his new, _mature _persona, he even opted to get it all in solid grey, rather than the space-ship set that may or may not have caught his eye.

And the new bed inspired him to get some new furniture as well. Of course, Robin had only agreed to spending some of the budget on Beast Boy's new bedroom if the changeling promised to clean his room, and keep it that way. So the green titan hurriedly complied; after all, he was already embarrassed that Raven was sleeping in his messy room as it was, and the new furniture thing was a great excuse to clean.

Everyone had been extremely impressed when he left his room an hour later, carrying down bags of garbage and boxes of junk. Even Starfire left the med-bay to poke her head into the changeling's bedroom, just to see if he had actually cleaned it.

And he had!

Sure, his brand new desk was already cluttered, his bed wasn't made, and last night's uniform was lying on the floor, but the room was basically spotless. There was no trash, no obstacles, and, most importantly, no _smell_. It was a clean room. _Beast Boy's _clean room.

The changeling smiled to himself as he stared at his ceiling. The sunlight pouring in through his window splashed across the walls, announcing cheerfully that it was going to be a beautiful day. Well, when it came to the weather, anyway.

Robin had scheduled a meeting for today, in regards to Starfire's health. She had declined a bit over the past few days, resulting in more hours spent in the med-bay. Physically, she had improved; her flu-like symptoms were gone, leaving her with only a minor headache. But according to her blood work, she was still a risk to the public.

That wasn't the problem, though.

Cyborg theorized that the virus was getting stronger, and he urged the other titans to keep their distance. But it only caused Starfire to feel even more isolated, and her mental health was declining rapidly. She was now showing signs of depression, and Cyborg feared that she would give up on finding out what was wrong with her. Luckily, Raven had dismissed the robotic titan's advice on avoiding the alien, and took it upon herself to visit her friend several times a day.

She even opted to skip out on Robin's meeting, and instead asked the changeling to fill her in later.

Beast Boy sighed tiredly as he climbed out of his brand new bed and headed towards the door. He neglected to change out of his pajamas, even though he knew it would only irritated his leader. But he really didn't care.

What he _did _care about was what the meeting was going to entail. Robin had already extended Kid Flash's stay with them, and Beast Boy guessed that the two were planning on bringing Jinx into the mix. He had time to get used to the idea, and though he wasn't certain, he figured this meeting was really just a lecture on common courtesy, and being accommodating for their newest teammate.

So it did come as a surprise to find Cyborg sitting at the head of the table, rather than the boy wonder.

Beast Boy cautiously entered the common room, his eyes darting between the grim expressions on his fellow teammates' faces. Kid Flash looked downtrodden and confused, whereas Cyborg looked completely stumped. And despite how hard he tried to seem passive, Beast Boy could see the worry written all over Robin's face.

"What's going on, guys?"

All three of his teammates directed their attention towards the green titan as he slowly took his seat beside Kid Flash. Nobody spoke for a minute, and instead the four superheroes silently exchanged uneasy glances.

Finally, Cyborg took the initiative, clearing his throat awkwardly.

"Uhm, yes, well, we should probably began," he started, before glancing around the room in confusion. "Wait, where's Rae?"

Beast Boy prayed that he came off as casual as he hurriedly answered. "She, uh... she decided to keep Star company, and asked that I, er, uhm, _we _fill her in later."

The half-robot shot their leader a questioning look, and with a solemn nod from the masked titan, he cleared his throat once more.

"Right, well, let's began, then." Taking a deep breath, Cyborg pulled out a large file hidden in his lap and set it on the table. "These are Star's medical records, since she first became a titan," he explained, opening the file. "Due to growing up on the opposite side of the universe, her immune system was not prepared for the onslaught of germs and diseases she was faced with on earth. I'm sure you guys remember how sick she had been after the team was first formed?"

Beast Boy and Robin nodded hesitantly, before the leader spoke up. "But she got over all of that fairly quick, didn't she?"

"Yes," Cyborg answered, shuffling with a few pages within the file. "She built up her immune system remarkably fast - most likely due to being Tamaranean. Her people are known for being nearly indestructible."

Robin nodded again, a small smirk forming on his lips. Beast Boy continued to glance around at his teammates nervously, noting the confused expression on the speedster's face.

"Wait," Kid Flash began slowly, giving the half-robot a quizzical look. "If Starfire's all immune or whatever, then it _has _to be some alien disease, right? But then how did she get it? I doubt anybody here on earth had it."

Cyborg nodded quickly as he looked through the alien's file, before pulling out a few pages.

"My thoughts, exactly," he agreed, "but then I remembered _this._" He gestured towards the pages in his hands, before explaining what they were. "This here is from when Starfire had gone through that 'alien puberty' thing a few years ago. I took a couple of tests back then, and the results are similar to the results of what she's currently going through now."_  
_

The tension hanging in the air seemed to lift ever so slightly as the other titans straightened in their seats.

"So she's just going through another metamorphosis?" Robin asked hopefully.

Unfortunately, Cyborg responded with a half-hearted shrug. "I can't say for sure."

Immediately, Robin slumped back against his chair in defeat.

Beast Boy let out a disappointed sigh, waiting for the robotic titan to continue.

"I had asked Starfire if she thought that this could be what was happening to her, but she said she had never heard of anything like this happening to one of her people. Also, she said it was rare to go through one metamorphosis - two was completely unheard of."

"So in other words," Robin interjected coldly, slamming his fists onto the table angrily, "you have _no _idea what is happening to her, and this meeting is completely pointless!"

Beast Boy flinched slightly as his leader raised his voice, though he didn't blame him. Robin was head over heels for Starfire, and learning that Cyborg had no explanation for the alien's sickness was bound to get a negative reaction out of him. Especially since he was banned from even going near her. The changeling tried to imagine what his leader must have been going through, and the image of Raven hovering over a bed in the med-bay flashed through his mind. He quickly shook away that thought, unsure of why he'd choose to remember something like that. Instead, he focused back in on the conversation. Or, rather, _argument. _

"I just wanted to give everyone an update," Cyborg defended, his own voice rising in the slightest. "It's not anybody's fault that she's sick, Rob!"

Beast Boy watched as Robin stood from the table, his breathing sharp and his stance rigid.

"But it's your fault she's not getting better," he growled, before turning from the others and hurrying towards the exit.

Cyborg's expression remained passive, though Beast Boy knew Robin's words must have stung. Slowly the changeling stood from the table, giving both his teammates an apologetic look.

"It's not your fault, Cy," he assured cautiously, glancing between the exit and his friends. "Robin's just upset."

"I know," Cyborg replied curtly.

Sensing that he couldn't say anything to cheer up his friend, Beast Boy quickly made his way towards the door. He was relieved to catch Robin's scent heading in the opposite direction of the med-bay, meaning his leader wasn't risking his health by seeing Starfire.

Though Raven was potentially risking _hers_, and he didn't really want that, either. Taking a deep breath, Beast Boy made his way towards the med-bay.

He hated the fact that he was about to pull the empath away from Starfire, but he knew that his teammate wanted an update. He also knew that Cyborg was bound to be on his way to run a few more tests on the alien, and Raven would have to leave anyway.

Luckily, just as he stepped off of the elevator, he caught sight of Raven exiting the med-bay. She noticed him at the same time, and quickly made her way towards him.

"What happened?"

Beast Boy let out an exasperated sigh, stepping back onto the elevator and motioning for Raven to join him.

* * *

"But if it has nothing to do with another metamorphosis, then why would he even bring it up?"

Beast Boy shrugged helplessly as he sat on his bed, watching Raven pace back and forth before him - something that was now possible, since his floor was cleared. He had just finished filling Raven in on what had gone down in the common room, and she was not very happy.

"Cyborg has obviously made some sort of connection to it - he's just not telling us. He doesn't want to give anyone false hope," Raven concluded, talking more to herself than to the changeling.

Beast Boy weighed her reasoning in his head. It was plausible, but he doubted that was the case.

"Maybe," he offered anyway, despite his own reservations. He could see how much all of this was affecting Raven, and he was scared that she was spiraling down with Starfire - especially since she was surrounding herself in negative energy by being near the alien.

"We're just missing something," she continued, ceasing her pacing and opting instead to sit beside the changeling.

Beast Boy looked at her with concern as she stared ahead of her at nothing in particular. He knew she was going to drive herself crazy if she kept thinking about it, so he decided to distract her.

"Have you even noticed that I cleaned my room?" he joked, playfully pushing her shoulder.

She whipped her head towards him, blinking a few times, before his words seemed to have finally settled in her mind.

"So that's why it smells better," she deadpanned.

Beast Boy scoffed in mock-offense, turning away from her and crossing his arms. "Well, the smell obviously wasn't _too _bad, since I seem to recall you sleeping in here for the past week."

He stiffened slightly at his own words, praying that Raven wouldn't be embarrassed by his teasing. Thankfully, she responded with a snort of amusement, before a comfortable silence settled between them.

Beast Boy turned himself back to face her, watching as the humor in her eyes slowly faded. She was looking off at nothing again, though he wasn't sure what she was thinking about. It hurt him to see her so empty, and it hurt knowing that Starfire had to have been feeling the same - probably even worse. She was the most social of the group, and yet quarantined from everyone, whereas Raven was the most private, but gave up that luxury to make her friend feel better. Both were selfless and strong, and he couldn't have been more proud to call them his friends - but being friends with them hurt.

"I know what you're doing," Raven announced dryly, breaking his thoughts and the silence.

Beast Boy gave her a bewildered look, his mouth opening and closing as he tried to think of something intelligent to say.

But Raven spoke again, not waiting for a response. "You're trying to distract me, but you're doing an awful job at it. And you _know _you're doing awful, and you can't help thinking about it. And thinking about it causes your aura to dull, which isn't making me feel any better." She gave him a pointed look, before a small smirk surfaced. "So I think you need to find a better way to distract me."

Scared of what she meant, Beast Boy continued to stare at her quizzically, electing an exasperated.

"I'm giving you permission to steer the conversation; tell me a joke, talk about video games - anything to take my mind off of Starfire and her sad eyes," she explained dryly.

"Oh!" Beast Boy exclaimed, wanting to slap himself for having his mind in the gutter. "I thought you wanted me to kiss you or something!" he laughed, shaking his head in embarrassment.

His laughter faded though when he noticed Raven wasn't laughing with him. Instead she was staring at him inquisitively, her head cocked to the side and her lips turned in a small frown.

"Actually," she began, scooting herself closer to the changeling, "that's probably a better idea."

He didn't even have time to protest as Raven smashed her lips against his in a hard, passionless kiss. It oozed need and agitation, as if it annoyed her that she even had to go through with it. But he knew that was most likely the case, and decided that despite her not wanting to kiss him, he'd make sure she at least enjoyed it.

He kissed her back softly, ignoring the urgent way her mouth parted against his. He could tell she was getting frustrated, but he wasn't going to let her kiss him angrily. She wanted to be _distracted _from all of the negative energy, after all.

Her hands snaked around his neck, pulling him closer to her and tangling up in his hair. It hurt a little, but Beast Boy tried not to react. Instead, he kept himself upright and gently pulled her arms down.

She broke the kiss at the motion, sending him an irritated glare as her face remained inches from his.

"What's wrong?" she growled, the dullness in her eyes temporarily replaced by annoyance. "I thought you wanted to help me?"

Beast Boy gave her a sheepish smile, hoping not to upset her further. "I _do _wanna help, Rae, but I don't think this is gonna do any good."

Raven furrowed her brows at his answer, slowly leaning away from him. "What do you mean? This was our agreement - or are you saying you don't want to help me anymore? Did I cross a line?"

Beast Boy let out a dry chuckle, shaking his head in response. "You're upset, and with you kissing me, I can literally _feel _your anger, and I don't think that bottling it up is good for you."

"But kissing _releases _everything; bottling it up is when I do the opposite," she protested.

He could tell that she wasn't thinking clearly, and figured that all of her emotions were jumbled up in her head. She probably had no idea what emotion she needed to release at the moment, and was just blinding guessing.

"But this isn't what needs to be released right now, Rae," he replied, rubbing her shoulder soothingly. "Acting like a hormonal teenager isn't what you need -"

Beast Boy's reasoning was cut off by a sudden gasp from the half-demon, and she stared at him with wide, horror-filled eyes.

"Oh my god," she breathed, somehow managing to look paler than usual.

Scared that he had said the wrong thing, Beast Boy mirrored her expression. "What -"

"'Hormonal teenagers'," she repeated, interrupting him once more.

The changeling cocked his head to the side, unsure of what the empath was talking about.

"What -"

"What if Starfire's pregnant?" Raven blurted.

Beast Boy felt all of the color drain from his face as her words soaked in. Starfire and Robin had been 'together' for quite some time; it wouldn't come to a shock to learn that they were already at that level of intimacy. Everyone had just assumed that they were waiting - the life of a superhero didn't leave one with many romantic opportunities, and Beast Boy doubted Starfire would do it just to do it. She'd undoubtedly want it to be 'special'.

"What?!" Beast Boy exclaimed, startling Raven.

She stared back at him with a determined look, obviously intent on justifying herself.

"Think about it, Beast Boy - she's been nauseous and grumpy for weeks, as well as -"

"As well as having a cold and sore throat - not necessarily the formula for pregnancy," Beast Boy interjected. "But those _are _the signs of the flu, and mixed with her weird alien virus, it's the most probable cause for her illness!"

"But she's lethargic and moody, and her skin has been looking rather radiant for being so ill," Raven pointed out dryly. "Maybe the mix of her Tamaranean genes and Robin's human genes are causing all these weird side effects."

Beast Boy couldn't believe what he was hearing as Raven continued explaining her theory. Crazy, crackpot conspiracies were _his _thing, and yet _he _was the one thinking rationally.

"But have they even had sex?" he interjected, feeling uncomfortable at the thought of two of his surrogate siblings getting it on. It was one thing to know that they were dating, but to think of them as being _that _close was a little unsettling.

Raven opened her mouth to respond, before knitting her brows together quizzically.

"I... I don't know," she admitted.

Beast Boy was a bit surprised by her answer - he had assumed that Starfire told Raven everything.

"You _don't?_" he repeated incredulously.

Raven shook her head, obviously embarrassed by her lack of knowledge on the subject. It was one thing to accuse their pure and pristine teammate of being pregnant, but not even knowing if said teammate was sexually active _really _discredited her theory.

"Well then we shouldn't jump to any conclusions, Rae," Beast Boy laughed, hoping to ease a bit of the tension.

It didn't appear to work, though, as Raven suddenly stood from his bed.

"Well, there's no harm in ruling it out, is there?" she deadpanned, before crossing his room.

Beast Boy quickly followed behind, feeling uneasy with the whole situation.

"What are you gonna do?" he asked hesitantly as his door hissed open.

Raven shot him a glare from over her shoulder, as if the answer was the simplest thing in the world.

"I'll have her take a pregnancy test, obviously."

* * *

Well, that sure took an unexpected turn! Lol

So, I know spoilers are often hated, so don't read this if you don't want to know, but regarding whether or not Starfire is pregnant... it's probably a no. But something _is _wrong with her (not that being pregnant is wrong lol), and we'll find out soon enough. Hopefully. Lol

But this red herring type of thing is really just a lead-in to what I plan on doing, so I hope this doesn't turn anyone off of this story. It'll make sense in the end (well, not the end of the _story_, but the end of the plot point these next couple of chapters will be focused on). So please keep reading!

Also, reviews are so appreciated! As are follows and/or favorites! :)


	10. Buried

So, I've diagnosed myself with a severe case of Not-Owning-The-Teen-Titans, and it's contagious. I'm sorry, but I've infected you all.

* * *

Raven was crazy - he was sure of it. What other explanation was there? She was moody and jumpy and indecisive, and it was more than he could handle.

But _Beast Boy_ wasn't crazy, so he sure as hell didn't call her on it. Instead, he followed behind her as she raced down the hall. Hopefully he could catch her in the elevator; be the voice of reason for once.

"Wait, Rae!"

She continued forward, acting as if she hadn't even noticed him. But he knew that she wasn't thinking straight - otherwise, she could have just phased through the floor.

"Raven!" he called again. He was finally catching up to her, and sighed in relief as she stopped in front of the elevator doors, her cloak swishing against the floor as she swiftly turned around.

"_What?_" she growled.

Beast Boy ignored the hostile tone of her voice as he stumbled towards her, bracing himself by grabbing onto her shoulders. Surprisingly, she held her ground, and he was able to retract himself quickly.

"Sorry," he mumbled sheepishly, before taking a small step back.

Raven's face was twisted into a look of contempt as she tapped her foot on the ground impatiently. Sensing her annoyance, Beast Boy decided to hurry things up.

"Okay, don't take this the wrong way, but," he began, shrinking away slightly as her glare intensified, "b-but, uh, I think you're kinda j-jumping to conclusions, you know?"

The half-demon before him tilted her head to the side, as if she were actually taking his words into consideration.

"Really," she deadpanned, obviously unconvinced. After all, she _was _Raven. And even little ole' Beast Boy knew Raven was _always _right.

"Yeah," the green titan confirmed with a nervous nod. "J-just a _little_ jump, though."

Raven continued to look impatient, and Beast Boy took the hint that he needed to elaborate as her eyes narrowed into slits.

"I mean, _maybe _Star's, you know... _pregnant_," he began, feeling his stomach churn at the unpleasant thought, "but making her take a test would just totally freak her out, you know?"

Beast Boy figured he had a good point - after all, if it were possible for him to be in the same situation, he'd probably have a heart attack. Even thinking about what Robin would have to go through was terrifying.

Raven seemed to consider his statement as her glare reduced itself to merely a dirty look.

"Well, she doesn't have to _know _it's a pregnancy test," she fired back, obviously intent on ruling out the theory. He figured she must have been just as put off by the possibility as he was, but her being all Raven-y or whatever made it impossible for her to just write it off as a conspiracy.

Regardless, Beast Boy still had a few more points to get through.

"Well, how do you even expect to get a hold of a test?" he questioned, crossing his arms defiantly. "It's not like a titan can just waltz into the nearest Planned Parenthood or drug store without making a scene - can you image what the press would do with that?"

All of the titans were fully aware of the malicious ways their local newspapers worked. The city had basically been in an uproar when news spread of Robin and Starfire dating - apparently, over-protective soccer-moms found the situation completely inappropriate, and attempted to riot the team out of town. If any kind of paparazzi caught a whiff of Starfire's potential pregnancy, it would be a disaster.

Again, Raven began to look less hostile as she considered his words, though Beast Boy could tell she still wasn't convinced to just let it go.

"I'm sure we could find a way to get around that," she supplied, though she didn't sound very sure.

Beast Boy tried not to smile at the thought of getting through to her, but to be safe, he argued his next point anyway.

"Plus, don't you have to be _human _to get an accurate result? Aren't all pregnancy tests _designed _for detecting _human _hormones?"

Raven opened her mouth to reply, but the sound of a weapon charging up cut her off. Realizing the noise was coming from behind him, Beast Boy whipped his head around, only to find Cyborg's sonic cannon aimed directly for him.

"What -"

"Now, I'd like to think that I heard you wrong, BB," the robotic titan began, feigning a friendly tone, "but it sounded to me like you were explaining to my baby sister why a _pregnancy _test wouldn't work for her." Cyborg took a step closer, his weapon now inches from Beast Boy's face. "Please, correct me if I'm wrong?"

Beast Boy stared in horror at his armed teammate before him, finding that he couldn't bring himself to say anything. All that was running through his head was the fact that Cyborg just accused _him _of getting _Raven _knocked up. Meaning Cyborg was now thinking that _he _and _Raven _were sleeping together. And now _he _was going to _die_._  
_

"You're wrong."

Beast Boy was able to register the fact that Raven was speaking, and he was able to hear what she was saying, but his brain was too busy turning all of his innocent memories with the empath into images that would never allow him to view her in the same way again.

"To be honest, Cyborg, I'm kind of insulted that you would even _think _that Beast Boy and I were having sex," Raven continued, obviously unphased by the changeling zoning out beside her, "and that _I _would be dumb enough to _not _use protection and risk carrying his incompetent offspring."

The slight jab at his intelligence caught his attention for a moment, but Beast Boy was still having a hard time moving past the whole "sex with Raven" thing. She _had _been coming to him to release some of her more intimate emotions, but the thought of getting _that _intimate hadn't really crossed his mind. Sure, it was natural for his mind to wander a bit whenever they'd make out, but he never _consciously _thought about sex - at least, not with _her_.

In all honesty, whenever the thought of having sex crossed his mind, he always figured it'd be with the girl that he wanted to settle down with. He hated sounding so sappy, and waiting for "the one", but he was scared that losing his virginity to just anybody would negatively affect him. He was plagued by the many animals inside of him, and often found that he couldn't suppress certain instincts. And one of his biggest fears was his potential instinct of mating for life. A bunch of the animals inside of him were subjected to that trait, and he really didn't want to risk imprinting on some sleazy fan girl that he didn't even care about. Sex was kind of a special thing, and he couldn't just do it with anybody.

So the fact that Cyborg had inadvertently suggested that _Raven _was Beast Boy's chosen mate was a large pill to swallow. He knew that the half-robot was unaware of the "mating for life" thing, but having him even _suspect _Beast Boy of liking Raven in that way was absolutely terrifying.

The sound of Cyborg's cannon firing back down knocked Beast Boy from his thoughts, and he realized idly that Raven had explained her diagnosis of Starfire to the half-robot.

"You're saying _Rob _got _our _little Star _pregnant_?!" he boomed, obviously just as unhappy with the thought of those two having sex. Even though those two made a hell of a lot more sense.

"It's a possibility," Raven deadpanned, somehow unphased by Cyborg's earlier accusation. Beast Boy couldn't wrap his head around it - he figured the empath would have been a bit more outraged at the suggestion of them sleeping together, despite their arrangement.

"B-but I've taken so many blood tests and urine samples, and nothing's suggested that!" the robotic titan continued, cradling his head in his hands and staring off at nothing. "And you'd think she'd at least _say _something!"

Raven let out an exasperated sigh, leaning back against the elevator doors in thought. Beast Boy's gaze idly wandered towards her, before he averted his eyes awkwardly. Apparently his earlier thoughts _hadn't _completely gone away, and looking at the empath didn't really help. Instead, he focused on the floor between them, leaning against the wall and hugging his arms to himself.

"Well, as our self-proclaimed 'big brother', I wouldn't blame her for not telling you," Raven reasoned flatly, though her voice still somehow caused a chill to run down Beast Boy's spine.

It was bad enough that Raven's arrangement with him was churning up the memory of his feelings for her, but now it felt like newer, _different _feelings were starting to form; feelings that _weren't _all too friendly, nor compatible with the whole "platonic" thing they had going on. And it made Beast Boy feel sick to his stomach.

Raven was one of his _friends_; they were even getting _closer_. Hell, they were on the verge of being _best friends_ \- and that was all he ever really wanted. A nice, stable_ friendship _with the empath; nothing more, nothing less. But these new feelings were suggesting something else entirely.

He knew that he _consciously _wasn't developing a crush on her. He didn't get butterflies every time he saw her, nor did his palms sweat when they would talk. He never spent any time marveling over how beautiful she was, or wondering if he should make a move. All those feelings were just way too girly, and Beast Boy was no sap. But he had noticed that the room _would_ light up a little any time he got her to smile, and that the sound of her laugh was completely intoxicating. But that was to be expected, wasn't it? He had yearned for years to hear that sound and see that smile, so he'd obviously enjoy the reward, wouldn't he? It wasn't as if his day depended on her reactions; he liked to think he had more of a life than that.

Sneaking another glance at the half-demon, Beast Boy felt himself freeze as their eyes locked. He had been so busy worrying about his potential crush on his teammate, that he hadn't even realized she was talking to him.

"Beast Boy?" she called, somewhat impatiently. She was no longer leaning against the elevator doors, but was instead moving closer to him. Too close, actually.

The changeling awkwardly scooted away from her, giving her a weak smile and hoping she hadn't picked up on any of his troubling emotions.

"Sorry, Rae- what were you saying?" he replied cheerfully, his smile wavering only slightly.

Raven gave him a strange look, her head cocked to the side and her violet hair falling into her face. She quickly tucked it behind her ear, though her expression remained quizzical.

"Are you feeling okay?" she questioned, giving Beast Boy an odd feeling that that hadn't been her original question.

Regardless, he attempted to smile larger.

"F-fine!" he lied, throwing in a thumbs up for good measure. "Just a little, uh, confused about the whole... _Starfire _thing."

"You and I both, buddy."

Beast Boy jumped at the sound of Cyborg's voice, having forgotten entirely that he was still in the hall. Both his teammates stared at him with apprehension, obviously not expecting that kind of reaction. Smiling nervously, Beast Boy attempted to divert their attention from him, and back to the problem at hand.

"So, uh, what's the plan?" he asked sheepishly.

Shaking his head absently, Cyborg sighed wearily. "Well, if I have to design some special alien pregnancy test, I'll do it - but only if it's necessary."

Raven arched her eyebrows inquisitively, completely unaware of what the half-robot was hinting at. Deciding to push his troubling thoughts away to guide his teammate in the right direction, Beast Boy swallowed nervously, before bumping Raven's shoulder.

"He means you gotta ask Star if it's even a possibility, Rae."

Raven regarded him skeptically, before a look of horror crossed over her features.

"_No_."

Sighing once more, Cyborg gave her a pleading look. "Come on! You're her best friend - you should know this already!"

"_No_," she repeated, taking a step away from her teammates. "It's none of my business -"_  
_

"It's none of _my _business, either, but it'd be weird if I asked!" the half-robot reasoned.

Still, Raven remained reluctant, shaking her head stoically.

"You'd be asking as her _doctor_, Cyborg. Not her _friend_." She attempted to maneuver around the two titans, apparently discarding her previous notion of getting to the med-bay.

Sensing that Cyborg was going to press her further, Beast Boy decided to intervene.

"How about making some kind of checklist for Star to fill out?" he suggested awkwardly, momentarily halting Raven's escape plan.

The empath arched her brows curiously, while Cyborg snorted in amusement.

"Ha, a _what_?" he laughed.

Cringing internally, Beast Boy shifted on his feet nervously. "W-well, she's been non-stop watching all those medical soap operas, right?"

Everyone knew Starfire was a big fan of anything romantic, and binge-watching soaps was now one of her favorite past-times. Every titan, aside from Robin and Kid Flash, had been subjected to an episode or two of watching the naïve, physically appealing interns pine over the Mc-Whatevers.

"So?" Raven questioned, obviously not following along. Cyborg looked just as confused as he idly scratched his temple.

"_So_," Beast Boy continued, praying he would be able to explain himself properly, "maybe if Cy devises some kind of 'symptoms checklist' for Star to fill out, she'd let us know if she were, you know, _active_, without all the awkwardness of saying it in person."

His teammates continued to stare at him blankly, and Beast Boy internally slapped himself for suggesting something so stupid. It was no wonder Raven always called him out on being an idiot - he _was _one.

Waiting with bated breath for them to call him out on his stupidity, Beast Boy silently shrunk back against the wall.

"That..." Cyborg began, furrowing his brow in thought, "That might actually work!"

His expression turning to one of disbelief, Beast Boy's eyes darted to Raven, wanting to gauge her reaction as well. To his surprise, she was giving him a somewhat impressed look, the corner of her mouth twitching in what he assumed to be a suppressed smirk.

"Really?" he asked sheepishly, hoping to elect some verbal agreement from the half-demon. But instead, he received a bone-cracking pat on the back from the half-robot.

"Good thinking, grass stain! You just saved me a years worth of being traumatized!"

Wondering idly if he was now paralyzed, Beast Boy gave his teammate a forced smile. "N-no problem," he winced.

Seemingly satisfied with their conclusion, Cyborg moved past the changeling and pressed the elevator button, muttering under his breath medical terms that the green titan would probably never understand. As the doors hissed closed between them, he turned his attention back to Raven, who still remained in the hall.

He was surprised to see her face twisted into a look of confusion, her brows furrowed and her lips pursed.

"You okay?" he asked warily.

Raven nodded her head absently, before shrugging uncomfortably. "I'm fine... It's just... Am I _really _supposed to know those kind of things about Starfire?"

Beast Boy could feel the blood rushing to his face in anticipation for the awkwardness that this conversation was bound to hold.

"Uh, usually, I guess?" he answered lamely, not entirely sure himself. After all, he wasn't a chick, so he had no idea what they did and didn't talk about.

"But that's so _personal_," she mumbled, obviously uncomfortable with the topic as well. "I mean, shouldn't something like that just be between her and Robin? We have no business in knowing, unless of course in a situation like this. But even then, we have no way of _knowing _we'd ever be in a situation like this."

Her eyes suddenly darted up from the floor to meet his, and Beast Boy's earlier panic returned as he idly noticed how pretty her eyes were. Quickly shaking away those thoughts, he took the liberty of breaking their locked gazes and focusing on the floor instead.

"Well, if you both don't like talking about that kinda thing, then you don't _have _to," he shrugged, feeling his blush intensify as he tried in vain to think about anything other than sex and Raven.

"I just never knew it was an _option_," she deadpanned, before letting out a dry, humorless chuckle. "Though, it's not like _I _have anything to say on the subject - I don't have a boyfriend or anything."

Beast Boy _knew _that Raven didn't consider him a boyfriend, nor did he consider her a girlfriend, but just hearing it out loud made his chest tighten uncomfortably. He _knew _that their arrangement was devoid of feelings and romance, but for her to just nonchalantly brush him off like that stung. Even though it really shouldn't have.

Raven let out another laugh at his silence, shaking her head in amusement. "You see, I can't even talk about this kind of stuff with _you _without making things awkward - how the hell am I expected to talk about it with _her_?"

Beast Boy lifted his gaze from the floor questioningly, confused on what his teammate had meant.

"Aren't you and Star closer than you and me?" he asked hesitantly, unsure of what he wanted her answer to be.

Raven rolled her eyes fondly, obviously finding his confusion humorous. "Not when it comes to stuff like _this_," she smirked, giving him a pointed look. "I think our arrangement has given us both some perspective on intimacy as a whole, in a weird kind of way."

Again, Beast Boy felt the need to look away from her, though he managed to muddle through it. "I guess," he agreed halfheartedly.

Raven nodded stoically, apparently satisfied with the conversation. "Right, well, I think I'm going to pour myself a fresh cup of tea; I'll see you later."

With that, she swiftly turned away from him and headed down the hall, leaving Beast Boy to wallow in his confusion as he slumped back against the wall.

"Ugh, not _again_," he muttered to himself. Apparently, Old Beast Boy wasn't buried deep enough.

* * *

Well, this could turn out bad! Lol

Hopefully he can get those feelings in check, before Raven picks up on them - I mean, that could _seriously _put a damper on the whole friendship thing they got going on. And I hate that cliche of "guys and girls can't be _just _friends", since I have plenty of guy friends, but when it comes to BB and Rae, it's freaking gospel to me lol. They are totes meant to be.

So I'm in a similar situation to Starfire right now - bedridden, feeling lousy, and not knowing what the hell is wrong with me (totally _not _pregnant, though lmao), and I've also taken the liberty of binge-watching Grey's Anatomy and diagnosing myself. Pretty sure I'm dying lol - but I'll leave that to the professionals. Anywhoo, hopefully this means I'll have more time to write, and update my stories haha.

Anyways, leave a review? We passed 100 and I forgot to thank you guys, so here is my belated thank you! You're all the best! :P


	11. Movie Night

_Dramatic Disclaimer!_

* * *

Beast Boy stared inquisitively at the door before him, unsure of whether or not he should knock. On one hand, he knew that what he was asking for was in no way breaking the rules, but on the other hand, he _really _wasn't ready to test his boundaries. Especially since he wasn't one hundred percent sure that his feelings were only platonic.

But Raven had been locked in her room all afternoon, only exiting once for a lackluster training session, and then again for a quick alert. So it was really kind of Beast Boy's duty to get her to come out, wasn't it?

Taking a deep, shuddering breath, the green titan curled his hand into a fist, raised it towards the door, and tentatively knocked.

"Rae?"

He quickly retracted his hand after calling her name, suddenly finding himself reconsidering his current situation. Despite acting rather strange for the past few weeks, Raven _had _opened up to him quite a bit, and he didn't want to push her any further. But at the same time, he felt the urge to get closer to her - though he wasn't entirely sure where that feeling was stemming from. Or whether it was a _platonic _feeling.

But before he could find the source, or talk himself out of what he was about to do, the empath's door hissed open, revealing Raven in all her pajama-clad glory.

"What is it, Beast Boy?"

The sight of the half-demon in sky-blue plaid pajama pants always brought a grin to the changeling's face. He knew she preferred darker colors and deeper hues, but the fact that she gave in to Starfire's light-colored gift was a tad bit endearing. He knew the alien always struggled with finding a good present for the empath, so it was pretty noble of Raven to accept the pants.

Realizing that he had been actively traveling down memory lane while Raven waited for his response, Beast Boy quickly shook away his wandering thoughts and suppressed his grin.

"Uhm, hey there?" he replied awkwardly, on the verge of aborting his plan. But as she quirked her eyebrow curiously, he knew he'd have to muddle through with it. "You going to bed already?"

He gently tugged at the hem of her dark grey t-shirt, unsure of what came over him. He knew that, despite their whole arrangement, Raven still coveted her personal space, and that t-shirt-tugging was definitely an over-step.

But surprisingly, she didn't seem to notice, or didn't really care, and instead rolled her eyes at his question.

"No, Beast Boy. I just decided to dress in my sleepwear and lie down in my bed for the hell of it," she scoffed sarcastically.

Giving her a quizzical look, the changeling awkwardly shuffled on his feet. "But don't you... don't you usually s-sleep in my room?" he whispered sheepishly, feeling his face blush ever so slightly.

Raven let out an exasperated sigh as she leaned against her door frame. "Usually," she agreed dryly, lazily tucking her hair behind her ear, "but I wanted to take a quick nap, and it'd be weird sleeping in your room in the middle of the day. What if somebody came looking for me? We already have both Kid Flash _and _Cyborg accuse us of being more than friends, and I don't think we would be able to talk ourselves out of a situation like _that_."

Beast Boy tentatively nodded in understanding, though a part of him was slightly unsettled with the thought of Raven sleeping anywhere else. But he quickly squashed down that feeling, and instead gave his teammate a small smile.

"Well, I didn't mean to interrupt your napping, but I was gonna ask if you wanted to watch a movie with me?"

As her brows furrowed slightly, Beast Boy quickly revised his offer.

"Y-you know, since it's technically movie night," he added, feeling his face flush once more. "And we haven't had movie night in a while, since Star can't join us, so I thought some normalcy would do us both some good, you know?"

Raven seemed to consider his offer as she tilted her head to the side, her hair escaping from behind her ear.

"Will everyone be joining us?" she questioned.

Beast Boy felt his stomach churn as he began to answer her. "Uhm, well, Star can't, 'cuz she's like quarantined to the med-bay, and then Cyborg's dividing his time between checking on her and working on the T-car, so he's out, too. Oh, and I'm pretty sure Kid Flash took off for a bit to visit Jinx, and Robin decided to patrol alone, so..."

"So it's just us, then?" Raven finished dryly.

Beast Boy prayed his blush wasn't too noticeable as he shrugged nonchalantly. "Yeah, I guess..."

He directed his sights to the floor between them, cursing himself for being so stupid. Raven would never agree to watching a movie with _just _him - especially since she had stated multiple times that his movies were garbage. He was stupid for even asking -

"Do we have suitable snacks?"

Raven's question knocked Beast Boy from his self-loathing, causing his head to jerk up on impulse.

"Huh?"

His teammate seemed unphased by his reaction, and continued to wait patiently for his answer.

"Snacks?" Beast Boy repeated, before his eyes lit up in understanding. "Oh! Yeah - we totally have snacks! Popcorn, candy, soda, nachos, tofu-dogs, chocolate -"

"I get it," Raven deadpanned, cutting him off.

Beast Boy sent her a sheepish smile, before nodding his head shyly. "Yeah, we have snacks," he confirmed.

Raven nodded her head as well, giving serious consideration to his proposal. "And I assume you picked a somewhat decent movie?" she mused.

Again, Beast Boy nodded. "I think?"

The empath let out a weary sigh, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Then I suppose it'd be a shame not to take advantage, wouldn't it?"

Beast Boy stared blankly at his teammate, unsure of what was happening.

"Is that a _yes?_" he asked hesitantly. "Like, you're _agreeing?_"

The corners of Raven's mouth twitched slightly, as if she were suppressing a smirk.

"Well, I kind of owe you, don't I?" she mused lightly. "I seem to recall making a bet a while ago; one consisting of watching a movie with you. Might as well get it over with."

Beast Boy vaguely remembered their deal, though it felt like it had happened ages ago. But the terms were still embedded into his brain - if she _liked _the movie, then she'd have to stick around for _every _movie night.

"So you _are _agreeing?" he asked again, feeling a little too excited for his own taste.

Raven shot him a half-hearted glare, before sighing in exasperation. "Yes, I'm agreeing."

Overwhelmed with excitement, Beast Boy gave the empath a toothy grin before grabbing her wrist and pulling her down the hall. She made no sound of protest, though he knew that doing something like that again was probably out of the question. Nevertheless, he continued for the common room, almost running into the doors as they hissed open slowly.

"Okay, you get the spare blankets and pillows, and I'll get the snacks!" he announced cheerfully, running towards the kitchen and leaving Raven at the top of the stairs. He then began to dig through the cabinet, in search of the designated movie-night candy. Piling it all into his arms, he raced towards the couch and promptly dumped it onto the coffee table, before heading back to the kitchen and finding the popcorn. Placing a bag into the microwave, he put in the appropriate time and then turned around in search of the soda. Grabbing several cans, he again brought them to the table, along with a bag of tortilla chips and cheese dip.

Raven was giving him an apprehensive look as she placed several folded blankets onto the couch, before sitting down beside them and rearranging the food on the coffee table.

"All this food, for just the two of us?" she questioned, arching her brow skeptically.

Beast Boy gave her a cheeky smile, before heading back towards the kitchen as the microwave beeped.

"You can never have too many snacks on movie night!" he called from over his shoulder.

He heard Raven mumble something under her breath, though he didn't quite catch what she had said. Deciding that it was probably just a snarky remark, he removed the popcorn from the microwave and ran back to the couch, jumping over the back of it and landing beside the empath. She shot him another glare, which he responded to with another smile, before placing the popcorn on the table and reaching for the remote.

"Okay, so I was prepared to scourge through the depths of my movie collection in search of a movie you'd enjoy, but then I remember _this _one!" he explained cheerfully as he hit the play button. "I had marathoned all eight movies a few months ago, so thankfully they were out here and not lost in my room! But don't worry - we're not gonna watch all eight. It took me like a day!"

As the previews began, he gave Raven a sideways glance, noting her confused expression as his words sunk in. Smiling to himself, he instinctively leaned over her to grab the blankets, only realizing he was again invading her personal space when she huffed in irritation.

"Sorry," he replied sheepishly, removing himself quickly while dragging a blanket across her lap.

She ignored his apology, and instead stood from the couch.

"Where are you going?" Beast Boy blurted, scared that he had pissed her off.

"I'm just going to make myself some tea," she replied, about to walk away. But Beast Boy quickly grabbed her wrist, stopping her.

"But I brought you some soda," he reminded.

Raven shot him a glare from over her shoulder as she attempted to tug her arm from his grip.

"I want _tea,_" she spat, managing to release herself.

Beast Boy made a disgusted face, which thankfully stopped Raven once more as she gave him a bewildered look.

"What?"

"You can't have _tea _with _movie snacks!_" he exclaimed, waving his arms in the air for extra emphasis. "That's disgusting!"

His teammate turned herself around to face him, her eyes narrowing slightly. "I can do whatever I want," she replied dryly.

But Beast Boy wouldn't have it. He shook his head animatedly as he stood up, before placing his hands on the empath's shoulders and turning her back around.

"I won't let you do this, Rae - it isn't right!" he explained, before gently pushing her back onto the couch.

Again, she gave him a flabbergasted look, as if she seriously couldn't believe he had the nerve to touch her.

"But I have tea with everything," she protested halfheartedly, allowing him to set her back into a seated position. "I have tea with my coffee."

Beast Boy gave her a sympathetic smile, still shaking his head. "You'll have soda tonight, Rae - it's the right thing to do."

Raven stared at him quizzically, before rolling her eyes and shifting back into her usual stoic expression. "Whatever," she deadpanned.

Surprised at his bravery, yet satisfied with the result, Beast Boy reclaimed his spot next to her, before reaching for a soda and handing it to her. "I think you'll be pleasantly surprised, Rae!" he insisted with a smile. "It's cream soda, so it kinda tastes like a root beer float, only without the ice cream, you know?"

Raven gave him a blank look as she held the can. "But I _like _ice cream."

Rolling his eyes fondly, he grabbed himself a can of his own and opened it. "Then you'll _like _this," he laughed.

He watched from the corner of his eye as Raven opened her own can, before tentatively taking a sip. When her face only twisted at the sensation of the carbonation, he turned his attention back towards the TV before him, realizing that the Play Menu was on screen.

"I think you're really gonna like this movie, Rae," he mused excitedly. "It's about _magic!_"

* * *

He wasn't sure when it happened exactly, but some time between the main character finding out he was a wizard and the trio meeting on the train, Beast Boy had dozed off. He was in one of those weird stages between actual consciousness and sleeping, and could barely make out the characters voices as he drifted further into slumber. But the sudden shift of his pillow pulled him out, and he sat up suddenly, slightly dazed and completely confused on what was happening.

The common room was almost completely dark, save for the movie that was still playing. It wasn't quite at the climax, though Beast Boy realized bitterly that he had slept through most of it. Turning towards his teammate, he felt his heart skip a beat when he realized that Raven's shoulder had been his pillow during his impromptu nap.

She hadn't seemed to mind, or maybe didn't even notice, for her eyes remained glued to the screen before them. He couldn't say she looked like she was enjoying herself, since her expression remained blank, but she didn't look like she _wasn't _enjoying herself, which was probably a good sign.

Smiling at the thought, Beast Boy turned his attention back to the movie, intent on staying awake.

* * *

"So, it wasn't _awful_," Raven admittedly dryly, shaking Beast Boy from unconsciousness once again.

Cursing himself for dozing off again, he tentatively lifted his head from his teammate's shoulder once more to give her a quizzical look.

"Huh?" he replied, quite intelligently, of course.

Raven shot him an annoyed look, though the lighting from the credits rolling wasn't the best, so he wasn't entirely sure it was a glare.

"The movie; it wasn't _awful_," she repeated.

Letting her words sink in, Beast Boy felt a large smile consume his face.

"Really?" he asked hopefully, feeling as if he were on top of the word. "You actually _liked _it?"

"I didn't _hate _it," she replied solemnly, turning her attention back towards the screen.

"So you _liked _it?" Beast Boy repeated, feeling his smile grow larger, if it were possible.

Raven shot him another glare, though she didn't deny his accusation. Instead, she turned her focus back towards the snacks in front of them, giving it all a disgusted look.

"My stomach hurts," she announced in her monotone. "I should have made myself tea."

Swallowing down a chuckle at the quick subject change, Beast Boy sat up slowly, his stomach agreeing with the empath's statement.

"That's the feeling that lets you know that movie-night was a success," he replied happily, his eyes tracing over the empty bags and boxes. It seemed Raven had taken the liberty of finishing off all of the chocolate, though she had left the gelatin-free gummies for him.

"It's a horrible feeling," she groaned, standing up shakily and stretching her arms towards the ceiling. "I feel like death."

Beast Boy allowed himself to laugh at her whining as he stood up as well, giving the mess before them a small smirk.

"Are you able to use your powers to clean all this up?" he suggested coyly, hoping she'd comply.

"I say we just leave it," she announced, letting out a weary sigh. "Robin can lecture us in the morning - right now I'm too tired to deal with it."

Beast Boy opened his mouth to protest, but found the words dying in his throat as Raven grabbed his wrist and teleported them to his room. She then released him, before walking towards his bed and crawling into it.

"Goodnight, Beast Boy," she mumbled into his pillow, before pulling the covers over her.

The green titan stared in confusion at the scene before him, until he finally found his voice.

"Wait a sec - you have enough energy to teleport the both of us, yet not enough to clean?"

A muffled groan sounded from his bed, before Raven lifted her head from the pillows. "I _had _enough energy to do one or the other, and sleeping sounded like a much better option, Unlike _you_, I didn't have the luxury of napping through the entire movie," she bit back.

Beast Boy scoffed incredulously, crossing his arms over his chest. "I didn't _make _you stay awake, Rae."

"But if I had fallen asleep, you'd demand a do-over movie-night," she pointed out tiredly.

Beast Boy knew there was no point in protesting, since what she said was true, and instead decided that arguing with her would only make him sleepier.

"Whatever," he muttered, before feeling his face flush slightly. He looked down at his uniform, wanting desperately to change into something more comfortable, yet not wanting to do so in front of his teammate.

"Uh, Rae?" he asked hesitantly.

She buried her face into the pillows once more, only grunting in acknowledgement.

Beast Boy swallowed nervously, before daring to ask his question.

"So, uh, can you step outside real quick while I change?"

He was hoping that she'd be too embarrassed to protest, but to his surprise, she merely lifted her head from the pillows to answer.

"Go ahead and change - I'm not going to look."

Immediately, Beast Boy's face flushed a fierce red at the prospect of standing in his underwear for even a second while his teammate was in the room. He knew that she was probably good on her word, but he was still beyond mortified at the thought.

"But it's _my _room!" he whined, not caring that he sounded like a child.

Raven merely snorted in amusement, before rolling over so that her back was facing him. "I'm not going to look, Beast Boy. Don't flatter yourself."

Sighing in defeat when he realized she wasn't going to budge, and too lazy to go all the way to the bathroom to change, Beast Boy quickly unzipped his uniform and slipped out of it, before pulling on a pair of sweats. He then searched through his laundry for a clean shirt, sniffing each one tentatively.

Realizing in horror that he didn't have one that didn't smell like rotten tofu, he hugged his arms to his naked chest and stared at the back of his teammate's head.

_Well, this is gonna be extremely awkward,_ he thought bitterly, before slowly climbing into his bed. He attempted to cover himself with his blanket, but Raven immediately rolled over towards him and laid her head on his shoulder, before opening her eyes and sitting up slightly.

"Why aren't you wearing a shirt?"

Feeling himself blush, he again attempted to hide himself beneath the covers.

"I don't have a clean one," he admitted quietly.

Raven stared at him blankly, before her gaze drifted towards his bare torso.

"But this is weird," she deadpanned, her eyes snapping back to his.

Beast Boy nodded in agreement. "But it's weird when I _have _a shirt," he pointed out shyly.

"But not _as _weird," Raven defended, her eyes wandering back towards his torso once more.

He swore he saw her blush, but he couldn't be certain as she quickly laid back down and rolled over, her back towards him.

"I'll just be the little spoon tonight," she decided, her voice remaining flat.

Beast Boy felt a blush of his own creep onto his face as her words sunk in.

"I don't think that's a good idea, Rae," he warned timidly. "I mean, certain... _things _happen when a dude's asleep, and I don't want to be put in... in a situation like _that_."

But she paid no mind to his warning, and instead huffed in exasperation. "Then don't let it _happen_," she growled. _  
_

Beast Boy felt his face grow hotter at her quick dismissal of his impending problem.

"It doesn't really work like that, Rae..."

Again, she let out another groan, before accepting defeat.

"Fine," she relented, scooting herself away from him. "Just don't be surprised if my powers are all out of whack tomorrow, and I end up accidentally banishing you to a different dimension."

Beast Boy silently weighed his options in his head, before deciding upon the lesser of two evils. Exhaling a shaky breath, he slowly scooted closer to his teammate, pressing himself against her and gently wrapping his arms around her torso.

"This is even _weirder_," he mumbled into her hair, ignoring the way her violet strands tickled his face.

"You'll get over it," she deadpanned, relaxing herself against him.

Beast Boy let out another sigh, silently cursing himself for ever agreeing to be a part of this arrangement - despite how nice it may or may not have made him feel.

* * *

So I decided to focus a bit on their blossoming friendship, as well as Beast Boy's blossoming feelings, so any Starfire-related news should come up next chapter. Also, I've been having the biggest urge to watch Harry Potter, and that may have sneaked its way into this chapter a bit. My day basically influences what kind of chapter you guys are going to get, so I'm sorry about that lol

Anywhoo, obviously BB is having trouble with the all-too-familiar feelings this arrangement is stirring up, and he's trying really hard to push any unwanted thoughts out of his mind. But you'd think he'd learn from Raven's example that it isn't very good to suppress things!

Leave a review? Oh, and I'll try really hard not to die before I finish this story lmao


	12. Goodbyes

Plot twist: I _do _own the Teen Titans!*

* * *

The room was slowly getting brighter, causing Beast Boy to shut his eyes tighter in a vain attempt to stay asleep. But as the sun shone through his window and splashed across his face, he realized bitterly that unconsciousness was a lost cause.

Furrowing his brows in annoyance, he tentatively opened his eyes, only to be faced with a sight that thoroughly perplexed him.

Raven was still asleep.

He had never been in this situation before - she _always _woke up before him. She was _never _still in the room when he finally came to. It was like an unspoken agreement between them; she'd sleep there during the night, but come morning, she'd be gone without a trace. It was the only sense of normalcy for them - even if it was deluded.

And yet, there she was - sound asleep, her face relaxed and her breathing slow and even. During the night, it seemed they had abandoned the notion of spooning, and almost reverted back to their usual position. But instead of Raven using the changeling as a pillow, they were both facing each other, their faces merely a foot apart while their legs tangled themselves ever so slightly.

It was a strange sight for the green titan. Sure, he had watched Raven fall asleep plenty of times, but it was always so dark, and despite his enhanced eye sight, he never really realized how... _cute _she looked.

Quickly pushing away that thought, he continued to gaze at his teammate from an objective standpoint.

Raven's face had thinned out a bit since they had first formed the team, though she still had a youthful appearance. Her features were still soft, with just a little definition here and there, like her high cheekbones and arched eyebrows. But she still had her small, rounded nose, as well as her delicate chin. Her lips seemed to have filled out a bit, though they weren't necessarily thick. But they were nice lips, nonetheless.

She was pretty blessed when it came to her looks, despite the fact that she was half-demon. He had noticed it before, obviously, but it seemed that she was only getting better looking as they aged. Which kind of put him in a bit of a dilemma.

Crushing on her was completely out of the question, and yet, he found his mind was clouded with thoughts of her. And he knew that their arrangement was only making things worse, but he couldn't bring himself to put an end to it. Hell, he'd basically be announcing that he liked her, and would end up ruining their friendship either way. So he might as well stick around for the perks, even if it meant lying to her and himself.

He cringed internally at how horribly selfish that sounded, but his teammate stirring before him quickly put an end to any self-scolding. Closing his eyes hastily, Beast Boy hoped that Raven wouldn't pick up on the fact that he had just spent the last few minutes wide awake and staring at her, and instead think that he was still sleeping.

He began to steady his breathing, quickly relaxing his face as he felt his teammate wake up beside him. He could feel her sit up after a few moments, and wondered if she had been just as confused as him. But the sudden chill he felt along his back reminded him of the fact that he was shirtless, and that his bare torso was most likely on full display, since the covers were tangled amongst their legs. Not wanting to stay in that position, nor announce that he was awake, he casually rolled onto his stomach.

Raven hadn't seemed to move, though, and he was tempted to peek an eye open, but too scared to risk getting caught. Instead, he focused on hearing anything that would clue him in to what she was doing.

He could hear her breathing, along with the sound of her shirt shifting against her skin with every breath. It was all very regulated, and he suddenly realized that she was meditating. Feeling his curiosity rise, he wondered absently if she did this every morning.

Beast Boy continued listening to her breathe, letting the repetitive noise lull him back to sleep. He was again in the plain of unconsciousness when he heard a sudden gasp, before his whole world began shaking. Or rather, his whole _body_.

His eyes bursting open, he scrambled to sit himself up, his gaze wildly darting around the room, before settling on his startled teammate before him.

"What the hell, Rae -" he began, but was quickly cut off as she pressed her finger to his lips.

"Something's happened," she announced vaguely, her expression blank, yet her eyes filled with apprehension.

"What do you mean?" Beast Boy mumbled against her finger, feeling a blush rise to his cheeks as he remembered his lack of clothing.

But Raven paid no mind to it as she stared off at nothing, most likely letting the tower's shift in aura register.

"I... I can't explain it..." she mused, her eyes trailing absently along his ceiling. "But, it's like the negativity... _changed_."

Beast Boy gave his teammate a quizzical look, not following her at all. Negative feelings were negative feelings - there wasn't much room for change.

"Huh?"

She shot him a quick glare, before removing her finger from his lips and tucking her hair behind her ear.

"I said I can't explain it," she snapped, though he could tell she wasn't actually annoyed with him, but more so with the situation at hand. "It's just... it's different."

Realizing that neither of them were going to figure it out by sitting on his bed, Beast Boy slowly inched towards the edge. "Well, maybe we should -"

But he suddenly found himself alone in his room, realizing bitterly that his teammate had teleported away mid-conversation.

"Real polite, Raven," he muttered under his breath, before jumping out of his bed and changing into a clean uniform.

* * *

He was greeted by the strangest sight as he entered the common room. Cyborg was again at the head of the table, with Kid Flash and Robin on either side of him. But what was strange about it was the alien sitting beside his leader, her fingers intertwined with his. But even _weirder _was the fact that they were both wearing surgical masks and gloves.

"Uh?"

"Sit down, grass stain," Cyborg ordered with a smile, his mood definitely an improvement from how it had been the day prior. Beast Boy quickly complied, wondering idly if he had actually woken up yet.

Taking a seat beside Kid Flash, he stared across the table at the couple, who seemed blissfully happy to be in the same room, let alone able to hold hands.

"Hey there, Star," he greeted awkwardly, though a smile broke through as he watched her eyes light up.

"Is it not a glorious morning, Beast Boy?" she cheered from beneath her mask, before returning her lovesick gaze back to the titan beside her.

"It truly is," Robin agreed, his face almost entirely hidden from view by the two masks.

Beast Boy was about to comment on it, but the common room doors hissing open caught his attention instead. Redirecting his gaze, he watched Raven swiftly descend down the steps, her cloak trailing lazily behind her, before she claimed the seat opposite of Cyborg.

"What the hell?" she muttered, her eyes darting between the couple and Beast Boy in confusion.

The changeling merely shrugged, before a grin sneaked its way onto his face.

"I think Star's been marathoning that surgery show a little too long," he joked, earning an eye-roll from the empath and a snort of amusement from the speedster beside him.

Opting to ignore the green titan's teasing, Starfire and Robin continued to gaze into each other's eyes, while Cyborg prepared himself to speak.

"Alright, guys," he began gruffly, shifting through a few papers on the table before him. "Rob and I have come up with a plan, and there are gonna be a few changes around here for a bit."

Excluding the half-robot and the couple, the remaining titans shifted uncomfortably in their seats.

"Are you about to tell us what I think you're about to tell us?" Kid Flash asked hesitantly.

Cyborg gave him a stern look, before a knowing smile crept onto his face. "Don't act so disappointed, _Wallykins_."

Beast Boy's eyes immediately darted towards Raven, who also directed her gaze towards him, sharing a mirrored expression of apprehension.

"You're not saying -" Beast Boy began, but the robotic titan quickly cut him off.

"Robin and I have decided that nothing here on Earth is suitable to treat Star properly, and with her consent, the three of us will be making a trip to Tamaran."

Everyone remained silent as Cyborg took a deep breath, before continuing. "Which means that Jinx will be acting as a temporary titan for the time being. I've already contacted her, and she should be arriving sometime this afternoon."

Beast Boy swallowed down a lump in his throat, not at all thrilled at the prospect of living with the former villain. And by the look of irritation on Raven's face, it seemed she wasn't all too ecstatic, either.

"It's, like, cool if she rooms with me, right?" Kid Flash asked warily, glancing between his fellow titans. "I mean, I'm already all set up in the spare room, and I know there's no way she'd agree to sleeping on the couch, so..?"

Again, Beast Boy felt wildly uncomfortable at the thought of the speedster sharing a room with his girlfriend, and the two of them parading around the tower. It was bad enough living with Starfire and Robin, and those two were pretty tame when it came to PDA.

"We're all adults, here," Cyborg replied cheekily, shaking his head in amusement. "Or, you know, on the verge of adulthood."

Beast Boy rolled his eyes fondly, before glancing towards the empath, who was readying herself to speak.

"Will your people know what's wrong with you?" she directed towards Starfire, a foreign softness lacing her voice.

Beast Boy attempted to suppress a chill at the sound, and instead tried to focus on what Starfire was saying.

"I am certain they will be of help," she replied cheerfully, her eyes the only thing betraying her hopeful words. "It is really the last of our options, but also the best."

Raven nodded her head in understanding, before turning her sights towards the half-robot.

"And how long is this trip going to be?"

Cyborg opened his mouth to respond, but Robin answered instead.

"As long as it needs to be," he replied determinedly, before returning his gaze to the alien beside him, "but I suspect no longer than a week or two."

Raven nodded her head solemnly, turning her attention back to Cyborg. "Is there anything else you need to tell us?"

The robotic titan shuffled through the papers in front of him once more, shaking his head. "Nothing really," he mused, before finding something to contradict that. "Oh! But I expect the tower to be in one piece when we get back, and my baby better not be moved an _inch_," he warned, giving Beast Boy a pointed look.

The changeling smiled innocently at his teammate, silently cursing his luck. He was looking forward to cruising a bit, but it seemed that was now out of the question.

"Well," Kid Flash announced suddenly, standing from his seat, "I should probably clean up a bit - don't want to get a lecture from Jinx," he laughed, disappearing in a gust of wind.

Cyborg watched helplessly as his papers blew across the table, while Beast Boy wrinkled his nose in disgust at the kissy-faces he assumed his teammates were making under their masks.

"So, I'm no doctor, but... can't Star still kinda kill Robin?" he asked skeptically, raising an eyebrow.

Cyborg heaved an exasperated sigh, before standing up and hooking his finger in Robin's collar. "Come on, lover-boy," he teased, pulling the boy wonder from his girlfriend's grasp. "Time's up; now you gotta disinfect."

A slew of very impolite words slipped from under Robin's mask, though Beast Boy was certain he had been the only one to hear it. He watched as Cyborg dragged their leader away, before turning his attention back to his remaining teammates.

Starfire had removed her mask, displaying her bright smile as Raven asked her several more questions.

"I am most hopeful that the healers of my planet will know what is the wrong with me," the alien answered cheerfully, though her eyes clouded over once more.

Raven must have noticed the same thing, for she was staring at the redhead with a mix of apprehension and worry.

"And are you sure about Robin tagging along?" she asked hesitantly, giving Beast Boy a sideways glance. "I mean, won't it compromise his health?"

Starfire looked away bashfully, a small smile tugging at her lips. "I had the same worry, friend, but Robin would not have it any other way. He said it was the risk worth taking."

Beast Boy watched as Raven attempted to suppress a smirk, and a smile of his own found its way onto his face. Despite how utterly annoying their resident couple could be, it was blatantly clear that their love was pure. Sickeningly sweet was probably a perfect description of it, actually.

"Oh!" Starfire suddenly exclaimed, looking off into the distance in remembrance. "I was meaning to do the asking of a question!" she announced.

Raven raised her brows curiously, while Beast Boy cocked his head to the side. "What's the question?" he asked skeptically.

"Is the pregnancy on this planet an unenjoyable experience?" she wondered, causing both the empath and changeling to straighten in their seats. "Because Cyborg was concerned that my sickness was due to the carrying of a child, but my people become stronger when 'the bun is in the oven'. So, is the pregnancy not an enjoyable occasion?"

Beast Boy took the stunned silence as his cue to vacate the room, deciding that Raven would best know how to explain... _that_.

* * *

Setting his dish into the sink, and letting out a small burp, Beast Boy glanced up at the clock above the common room doors.

It was time.

Jinx had arrived about an hour ago, and was immediately given a stern lecture by Robin on the rules of the tower, and the responsibility she now carried as a member of Jump City's Teen Titans. Naturally, the former-villain had paid no mind, and instead asked a series of questions regarding more trivial matters - such as the water pressure of the showers and where the thermostat was located.

Unsurprisingly, Robin had given up on the notion of getting her to see the importance of being a titan, and instead asked Kid Flash to give her a tour. Which meant the two were most likely making out in a dark corner.

Beast Boy cringed slightly at the thought, before wiping his hands on his pants and lightly jogging towards the exit.

Cyborg had announced that he and the couple would be leaving at three thirty that afternoon, and that goodbyes would take place in the garage. He had already pre-programmed their ride for Tamaran, and was very clear on being in the garage before they took off.

Beast Boy realized that he must have been the last to arrive as he walked into the garage and caught sight of Raven and Robin hugging goodbye. Though he knew that there was literally _nothing _going on between the two, he couldn't help the way his heart twisted in his chest.

Electing to ignore the feeling, he quickly made his way over to the alien, who outstretched her arms in what he knew would be a bone-crushing hug.

"The greatest of byes, my friend!" Starfire exclaimed cheerfully, her arms encompassing the changeling tightly.

"I'll m-miss you, Star!" Beast Boy squeaked, before staggering backwards after being released. Taking a few desperately needed breaths, he turned his attention towards his leader.

"Later, dude," he smirked, giving the boy wonder a quick man-hug.

Robin returned it quickly, his expression unreadable, due to both the masks he was wearing. But Beast Boy was pretty sure he was smiling.

Turning his attention to Cyborg, he winced as the half-robot pulled him into a hug rivaling Starfire's, while ruffling his hair fondly.

"Be good now, you hear?" he ordered, releasing the changeling and giving him a small smile. "Not only do you have to worry about Rae killing ya - you've got Jinx to worry about, too."

A pained smile formed on Beast Boy's lips as his eyes darted towards the three girls hugging, the empath looking none too pleased.

"I'll try not to die," he joked, though a part of him _was _a little concerned.

Cyborg let out a hearty laugh, before his arm began beeping. Taking a quick look at it, he clapped his hands together and turned towards the others.

"Alright, alright - hugs and kisses all around; now let's _go!_"

Starfire reluctantly parted with the two girls, before adjusting her gloves and climbing into the T-ship.

"Farewell, friends!" she smiled, waving her hand animatedly.

"Bye, guys!" Kid Flash grinned, lacing his arm over his girlfriend's shoulder.

"The tower is in good hands," Jinx smirked, winking cheekily at the boy wonder.

Robin let out an audible groan, before piling in after Starfire.

"Be safe, and don't touch my baby!" Cyborg called, sending his teammates a quick wave.

Beast Boy backed away as the engine revved, before the floor beneath the T-ship began to lower. His eyes wandered towards the empath, and to his pleasant surprise, he found that she was already looking towards him.

He gave her a small smile, to which she responded with the nod of her head, motioning him to follow her.

"We're going to have to make some changes," she announced dryly, once they were in the elevator.

Beast Boy gave her a quizzical look, unsure of what she meant.

"Huh?"

He watched as she rolled her eyes in exasperation, before letting out a lengthy sigh.

"Jinx is going to be a problem, and we need to prepare ourselves," she explained, crossing her arms over her chest and blowing a strand of hair from her face. "So we have some changes that must be made."

Starting to follow along, Beast Boy nodded, motioning for her to go on.

"Sleeping arrangements, for one thing."

The tight feeling returned to his chest as her words sunk in. Despite their cuddling still feeling completely awkward, he was starting to get used to sleeping beside her, and daresay, _liking _it. He didn't want to return to sleeping in his bed alone.

But he said none of this out loud, of course.

"So no more spooning?" he teased, ignoring the way his stomach churned at the thought. Though he'd never admit it, he kinda liked being the little spoon, or even just Raven's pillow.

"What?" Raven inquired, giving him a bewildered look. "Oh - you've misunderstood me," she deadpanned, before clarifying, "I meant that it'd be best if we began sleeping in _my _room. We were able to get away with being in yours, due to the distraction of Starfire, but the guest room is closer to your room, and I don't want Jinx snooping around."

A feeling of pure relief flowed through Beast Boy, though he refrained from reacting to it.

"Oh, that makes sense, I guess," he agreed, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "So, uh, I'm like, _allowed _in your room, now?"

"For the time being," Raven replied dryly.

Beast Boy nodded his head thoughtfully, directing his gaze towards the floor. He was thrilled that they were still sharing a bed, though he knew not to be, but the only downside was that it was no longer _his _bed.

"My bed was pretty comfy, though," he mused absently, already regretting the nights he'd miss out on sleeping on it. "Custom topper, squeak-free mattress..."

"I don't sleep on a slab of concrete, Beast Boy," Raven deadpanned, obviously annoyed. "My bed is perfectly comfortable."

"Then why haven't we slept in there before?" Beast Boy questioned, arching his brows skeptically as the elevator doors opened.

Both the titans stepped into the hallway, heading towards the common room.

"I was rather content with keeping you _out _of my room," Raven bit back, shooting her teammate a quick glare.

Beast Boy scoffed at her reply, before huffing in frustration. He knew that he had a reputation of being a snoop, as well as a klutz, and Raven's room was probably the most dangerous room in the tower, but he figured he could restrain himself from sticking his nose where it didn't belong.

"I'm not gonna trash the place, Rae," he assured, somewhat offended. "Your room's already kinda a death trap, and there's no point in tempting fate."

He was unprepared for the smack to the back of his head, and let out an unmanly yelp of pain.

"_Ow! _What the _hell_, Rae?!"

But the empath merely shot him another glare, a small smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth.

* * *

*Just kidding

And the plot... continues aimlessly, lol. Can Starfire's people figure out what is wrong with her, so that her and Robin can go back to being adorable? Will Jinx stumble upon Rae and BB's secret? Who knows what she'd do with that information! And will we find out if Raven's bed _is_, indeed, as comfy as Beast Boy's? Stay tuned!

And leave a review? ;)


	13. Headaches

Sorry, I can't seem to find my copy of the rights to the Teen Titans. I swear, it was right here...

* * *

Beast Boy sighed wearily as he dropped his controller into his lap, his head lolling back against the couch. He had thought that playing video games for five hours straight would be more entertaining, but it was actually rather tiresome. Especially since he didn't have anybody to play against, now that both Cyborg and Robin were halfway across the galaxy.

He had thought Kid Flash would be a good replacement, but the speedster was out of the tower, exploring the city with Jinx - despite the fact that she had previously lived in Jump. Plus, Beast Boy was determined to never get desperate enough to ask the former-villain to join, either, and they were kind of a package-deal.

But there _was _one more option...

Rolling his head to the side, he stared absently at his remaining teammate, who was sitting beside the window, reading one of her many books. With the others out of the tower, and Beast Boy's game on mute, it had actually been pretty quiet for once. And, obviously, Raven took advantage of the quiet.

Smiling fondly, Beast Boy squinted slightly, attempting to make out the title of her book. It appeared to be in some strange, foreign language, so he quickly gave up that notion, and decided to instead observe the empath.

She was dressed in her uniform, her cloak wrapped around her like a blanket, with only her feet sticking out at the bottom. Her knees were pulled to her chest, and she was resting her book atop of them, her face hidden behind the hardback. She _had _opted to lower her hood, which was a refreshing sight. Despite seeing her hoodless almost every night, Beast Boy coveted every occasion. It was like she was lowering her walls; giving him an open invitation to get to know her better.

Though he already knew quite a bit.

Like, what her favorite flavor of tea was, or how the sound of typing irritated her beyond belief. She also hated the word "moist", and could never refer to a soda as a "pop." She also hated pop music, and country music, and rap, and rock, and basically anything that wasn't composed by an actual composer. And she hated soup - any kind of soup. It baffled her why someone would elect to "drink" their dinner, rather than have an actual meal.

And it had taken Beast Boy quite some time to learn all this, but he figured it was worth it. It was nice to know even the trivial things of a person so mysterious. Even if these little tidbits were mostly of things she _disliked _\- hell, now he could avoid them.

His earlier quest of becoming better friends with the empath was basically finished - he now regarded her as a best friend, and knew that she secretly felt the same way. But what she _didn't _feel for him were the feelings that he _tried _not to feel for her.

But with every moment his eyes lingered on her, he knew that this task was going to be a lot harder.

She was like a forbidden fruit. He wasn't supposed to want her, but that only made her more desirable. He shouldn't have let his feelings get past any kind of physical attraction, but the more physical they became, the more he found himself liking her. Like, _liking _liking her.

And not just because she had a beautiful face and killer body. It was her freaking _personality_, for god's sake! He liked what was on the _inside! __  
_

It confused the hell out of him - she was cynical, and rude, and barely had a sense of humor. And she _hated _tofu - which was absolutely absurd! But she also had her kind moments, where he got glimpses of the _real _her, and not just the front she put up.

Her relationship with Starfire, for example. Raven tried her hardest to seem unsettled by the alien's acts of friendship, but Beast Boy knew she secretly enjoyed them. He knew she liked it when Starfire would braid her hair, or when they'd go shopping. He could see past the frown on her face; he could see the smile in her eyes.

He was pretty sure her eyes smiled more than her mouth ever did; hell, he was certain of it. And sometimes they'd smile with _him! _He barely got anything more than a smirk from her mouth, but her eyes assured him that he was funny. Some of the time.

But as he continued to ponder over the windows to her soul, he realized that said windows were looking back at him.

"Beast Boy?"

Feeling his face grow hot, but knowing he wasn't quick enough to think up an excuse, the changeling merely smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry..."

Raven arched an eyebrow quizzically, before lowering her book. "Care to explain?" she questioned, somewhat amused.

Feeling his face flush deeper, he scrambled for a reasonable explanation.

"Uh, I was... thinking about, uhm... asking if you, uh... wanted to play a video game!" he lied, feeling a small sense of pride at the act. "But then I wasn't sure how to, uh, ask you, so I was like thinking of a way, and I didn't realize I was staring! So, uh, sorry..."

Sure, it probably wasn't the most thought-out excuse, but he figured it sounded enough like him to be believable. Especially the spacing-out part.

Raven seemed to be thinking along the same line as she shook her head in amusement, before returning her attention to her book.

"Don't even waste your breath, Beast Boy."

Thankful that she bought it, yet a little miffed at her turning down his fake offer, Beast Boy let out an exasperated huff. "But I'm _bored_," he whined.

Raven peeked over her book, her brows arching inquisitively. "Rotting your brain no longer appealing?" she mused dryly.

"Ha, ha."

Seemingly satisfied with her quip, she again focused on her novel, leaving the changeling to wallow in his boredom. If it wasn't for their whole arrangement, he would have probably remedied his situation by annoying the half-demon, but now the act seemed rather... childish. After all, their new relationship felt much more mature than just any old friendship - they were trusting each other with a pretty embarrassing secret. He couldn't imagine what the others would do if they ever stumbled upon him and Raven in a compromising position. Or what they would _think _\- it'd be _mortifying_.

Though he was pretty sure a part of him would feel kind of awesome; at least until the merciless teasing began.

Letting out another sigh, Beast Boy's gaze absently wandered to the ceiling. They were pretty high ceilings - something that definitely added to the tower's resale value. Though not many people were in the market for T-shaped buildings - unless it was for some kind of business. But even then, a building standing alone on an island with no conceivable way to the mainland _probably _wouldn't be a good business investment.

Furrowing his brows in confusion, Beast Boy hurriedly shook away those thoughts - pondering over real estate wasn't all that fun, either.

To hell with maturity - annoying the empath seemed like a much better option.

"Raaaaeee!"

Her eyes narrowed almost immediately, as if she had been expecting this the entire time. Glaring at him from over her book, she spat out a quick, "_What?_"

Feeling just a tad bit nostalgic, Beast Boy pushed himself into a more upright position, giving his teammate the best puppy-dog eyes he could muster.

"I'm _booooored!_"

"Entertain yourself."

"I _caaaan't!_"

He tried to suppress his grin as he watched her nose wrinkle in irritation, before she lifted her book higher, hiding her face. Stifling a small chuckle at her actions, he continued on with his quest of bugging her.

"_Raaaaeee!_"

He was prepared to start all over again, but the exasperated growl that sounded from the half-demon made him reconsider. She set her book on the floor before her, and then rose to her feet.

"Do you _really _want something to do right now, Beast Boy?" she asked, her voice laced with mock-sweetness.

Lowering his ears, the green titan gave her a sheepish smile. "W-what do you have in m-mind?" he stuttered nervously.

He watched as she slowly came closer, her sneer shifting into a blank look. "Well, I don't know how well it'll relieve your boredom, but it _is _something to do," she mused.

Sensing where this was bound to end up, Beast Boy felt a strange swirl of apprehension and excitement twist in his stomach. He and Raven hadn't done much of anything the past few days, aside from cuddling, and he knew to expect this sooner or later. But he preferred later; as in, _not _in the common room.

"R-really?" he asked hesitantly, his eyes darting around the room nervously. "Right now?"

Raven was now standing directly in front of him, her arms crossed and her brows arched. She was looking down at him with a mixture of embarrassment and amusement, and he cursed himself for finding the expression adorable.

"Well, since nobody else is home, and you claim to have nothing to do, I thought that now would be a great time to sort out some of my pent-up emotions," she explained, a small blush rising to her cheeks. "I know it's still kind of strange, but it really _does _help."

Nodding his head slowly, Beast Boy silently lectured himself for being such a good friend. "Well, if it helps..." he agreed shyly.

Raven sent him a small smile, before getting into position. But rather than sitting beside him, like he had expected, she opted to sit _on top _of him, straddling his lap. He could feel as his face turned beet red, and hoped to god that he wouldn't get _too _comfortable.

An intelligent "Uh?" slipped from his throat as Raven placed her finger under his chin, guiding his head up.

"This is awkward, isn't it?" she asked in her monotone.

But before he could answer with an _"It's the most awkward thing to ever happen in my life"_, she captured his lips in a slow, tentative kiss. He was used to her more aggressive approach, so he remained motionless and wide-eyed for a few moments, before coming back to his senses. Letting his eyes flutter shut, he began kissing her back, just as gently.

It was the first time kissing her since discovering the return of his feelings, which turned it into quite a momentous occasion. He knew that he couldn't _outwardly _make a big deal out of it, but inside, he was doing a little happy dance. Kissing Raven before wasn't necessarily _nothing_, but it did feel more like a business transaction. Now, it felt like everything was right in the world, and that his lips belonged against hers. He successfully suppressed the purr in his throat as she moved her hands from his neck and into his hair, gently running her fingers through it. He responded instead by slipping his own hands beneath her cloak, firmly grasping her waist and pulling her closer.

One of her rules was "moving at _her _pace", but he figured that he was allowed to _encourage _her a bit, wasn't he? Feeling daring, he waited for her to part her mouth slightly, before tentatively running his tongue across her bottom lip.

She immediately pulled away, causing his eyes to burst open and his heart to drop into his stomach. But what he saw wasn't the twisted face of a pissed-off half-demon, but rather the blushing face of his mildly surprised teammate.

She was still rather close to him, causing his eyes to cross ever so slightly as they focused on her, but she was far enough away that their lips were no longer touching.

A heavy silence fell between them, causing Beast Boy's fears to build to a somewhat irrational level. He knew that he had technically broken a rule, but he had no idea what his punishment was going to be. Probably something extremely painful, yet clever enough to make him somewhat appreciate it.

"Can I ask you a question?" she spoke suddenly, breaking the silence and derailing his train of thought.

Gulping nervously, Beast Boy responded with a small nod, their noses brushing against each other's. She was probably going to ask what type of torture he preferred, or if he _really _wanted to be sent to another dimension, or die, or -

"Should I cut my hair?"

Okay, that wasn't _exactly _what he had been expecting. Leaning his head away from hers, his brows knitted together in confusion as he regarded the empath.

"_What?_"

She began to lean away as well, shifting her weight from his pelvis and more towards his knees, though she remained firmly in his lap.

"My hair," she repeated, running her hand through her violet locks timidly. "It's gotten a bit longer, and though it's not necessarily _unmanageable_, I was debating on whether or not I should cut it."

Beast Boy blinked slowly, dropping his hands from her waist as his eyebrows rose towards his hairline. Was his punishment a bout of girl-talk or something?

"Uhm, if you want?" he answered skeptically.

She automatically rolled her eyes at his indecisiveness, before glancing at the ends of her hair.

"I mean, I'm trimming it regardless, since I have quite a few split-ends, but I was wondering if I should go back to my old cut," she continued, ignoring his unhelpful answer.

Beast Boy tilted his head to the side as he observed her hair. It _had _grown a bit since the team had first formed, but it wasn't necessarily _long_. It now reached her shoulders, the front dipping past her collar-bone, while the back brushed against the tops of her shoulder blades. But her hair had always just been her hair, and though he thought that it was very nice hair, he had never paid much attention to the way she styled it.

"Well, it's up to you, I guess," he supplied lamely, earning a dirty look. "Why are you asking me, anyway?"

Her eyes darted away from his and back to her tips, which she continued to sift through absently. "Well, I _was _going to ask Starfire what she thought, but never really got the chance, and I didn't want to go through with it without a second opinion," she explained.

Unsure of what came over him, Beast Boy pulled his hand out of her cloak and ran his own fingers through her locks tentatively, before the realization of what he was doing set in. Adopting a look of horror, he froze mid-stroke, his fingers tangled in the ends of her hair.

But, surprisingly, Raven seemed entirely unphased by his actions.

"Well?" she asked pointedly.

Slowly removing his fingers, Beast Boy opened his mouth to respond, only to be silenced by the look of terror that crossed his teammate's face. Before he could get out a single syllable, he found that he was no longer on the common room couch, but instead on Raven's bed.

Unprepared for the sudden emptiness behind him, Beast Boy fell backwards, the back of his head hitting against her headboard, while her forehead smacked against his.

"_Ow_," they moaned in unison.

Unsure of what hurt more, Beast Boy attempted to sit up while Raven rolled off of him and onto her bed, rubbing her forehead delicately.

"I'll admit that I hadn't thought that through," she deadpanned, giving him a sympathetic look.

Beast Boy attempted to glare at her, but the absurdity of the situation caused him to let out a pained chuckle.

"What the _hell_, Rae?" he laughed, rubbing his forehead gingerly, before wincing in pain.

A small giggle escaped through her lips as she reached towards his head, her hand glowing. "I'm sorry," she replied sheepishly, healing his throbbing head. "I forgot how fast Kid Flash was, and their auras returning so suddenly surprised me."

"They're back?" Beast Boy questioned, feeling a small sense of dread at what could have happened if Raven hadn't sensed them. "Oh god, that could have been bad..."

"You're telling _me_," she agreed, a small smile etched across her face.

Beast Boy happily returned it, before the fact that he was now in the half-demon's room began to sink in. Glancing around curiously, he found that it still looked as creepy as ever.

"So, I'm guessing you haven't felt the need to redecorate?" he teased, his eyes returning to his teammate.

Raven gave him an unamused look, before smacking him on the back of the head.

"_Ow!_" Beast Boy exclaimed, feeling his previous pain return. "Gee, Rae - you don't have to take everything I say so seriously..."

"I don't take _anything _you say seriously," she smirked, before glancing around her room. "And I like the way I've decorated, thank you."

Huffing in mock-irritation, Beast Boy gently pushed her shoulder. "What's a guy gotta do to get you to be nice to him?" he joked.

She gave him a quizzical look, tucking her hair behind her ear. "I was under the impression that I _was _being nice," she admitted, her expression looking slightly ashamed.

Realizing that she had taken his last statement to heart, Beast Boy scrambled to amend it.

"No, no, you _are _being nice, Rae!" he insisted frantically. "I wasn't serious, I promise!"

She continued to look bashful, until a small smirk tugged at her lips. "I know, Beast Boy; I wasn't being serious, either."

Staring at her with a mix of confusion and embarrassment, Beast Boy let out a nervous giggle. "I can't figure you out," he confessed, shaking his head in amusement.

Raven rolled her eyes fondly, before pushing the changeling towards the edge of her bed.

"You don't have to," she deadpanned, her smirk growing into an actual smile. "Now, get out of my room, Beast Boy."

* * *

Well, a giggly Raven is bound to be a good sign, isn't it? BB's obviously enjoying the chance to see this side of her, even if it causes him bodily harm. But he also seems keen on pushing his boundaries a bit, which _probably _isn't the best idea. Good thing she's in a good mood lol. Can't say the same will be true tomorrow, though ;P

Oh, and to the guest who left the really long review (unsure how else to word that lol), I didn't find your review harsh at all - you were just expressing your opinion, and not in a rude way! And I'm not uncomfortable with sex and sexuality in general; just when I write about it. There's a difference between talking about it out loud and typing it out, and I'm not really used to the latter lol. And I'm not meaning to project my morals or anything; I'm actually pretty lax with the subject, though I do think it's a very personal subject. And I'm writing the characters in this way because they've grown up differently, and haven't really been in the best position to embrace their sexuality. I like to think that being a superhero has matured them in many ways, but has also stunted their growth in others. They don't really have time to date, unless of course their chosen partner is living with them (like in Robin and Starfire's case), so sex doesn't cross their minds too often. At least, that's what I would expect - I don't really have many real-life examples of superheros to go off of lol. I'm glad you took the time to voice your concerns, though I do think it is important to focus on the subplots every once in a while - especially since Starfire's sickness does play a part in what Raven is seeking from Beast Boy (girl-talk, for example). But the trip to Tamaran won't be focused on, except of course when Robin calls to give/receive updates. So now the focus will be more solely centered on BB and Rae's growing bond. Sorry for the hella long reply - I would have PMed you, but that isn't possible lol.

And sorry for the long author's note to everyone else! Just ignore that part (unless you've already read it... putting the "ignore this" at the end probably isn't very efficient lol)

Anywhoo, review? :)


	14. Un-Okay

_-Slightly humorous disclaimer-_

* * *

Beast Boy was having a nice dream. A very nice dream. Cyborg had built him his own car, with custom _everything_, while Robin had relieved him of any type of training for being so awesome already. Starfire was healthy and in the kitchen, cooking up something actually edible, Kid Flash had decided to stick around for a video game tournament they were having later, and Jinx didn't exist.

Oh, and Raven was totally his girlfriend.

They were sitting together on the couch, their fingers intertwined while she rested her head on his shoulder. They had just finished their 21-hour-long-movie-marathon, meaning they were both pretty tired, but Beast Boy was trying his hardest to stay awake. Anytime his eyes would flutter shut, Raven would bump his shoulder to wake him back up.

He was really excited for the meal Starfire was preparing, since it was his absolute favorite. Straining his eyes to keep them open, he watched as the last of the credits rolled, before everything slowly went black.

But instead of a gentle bump, Raven was now shaking his shoulder - and it was in no way gentle.

Letting out a pained laugh, he tried opening his eyes.

"Sorry, Rae... didn't mean to fall asleep..." he mumbled tiredly.

"Well, that's the whole point of going to bed," she responded flatly.

Peeking one eye open, he was greeted by the sight of the empath staring down at him inquisitively. Blinking in confusion, Beast Boy slowly sat up, only to realize he wasn't in the common room, cuddling with Raven, but in _her _room, no longer cuddling. Yet as he looked around, he could tell that it was still dark outside, and that she must have been waking him up in the middle of the night.

"Did something happen?" he asked frantically, sitting up straighter. "What's going on, Rae?"

He turned his attention back to her, confused on why she was staring at him like he was crazy. Letting out a sigh, she shook her head in amusement.

"Nothing's happened, Beast Boy," she deadpanned.

Not following along, the changeling glanced around the room once more.

"Then why are you waking me up in the middle of the night?"

Raven merely snorted in amusement, before using her powers to open her curtains. The horizon was faintly glowing a pinkish color, a sign that the sun was beginning to rise.

"It's morning," she mused dryly.

Still confused, Beast Boy cocked his head to the side. "But why did you wake me up?"

"Because it's morning," she repeated. She then pulled off her covers, before getting out of the bed and stretching her arms above her head, her back facing him.

He watched absently, before the reality of what he was essentially doing set in. Feeling his face flush, he quickly averted his eyes, instead focusing on the creepy figurines the empath kept on her vanity.

He was still lost on why she had woken him up so early, but decided not to ask any further questions. Knowing Raven, she was bound to explain eventually.

He redirected his sights to her when she turned herself to face him, her hands on her hips.

"Do you mind?" she asked impatiently.

Tilting his head to the side, he gave her a bewildered look.

"Huh?"

Raven let out an exasperated huff, before using her powers to pull her blanket off of him and expose him to the chilly air.

Letting out an unmanly yelp, Beast Boy hugged himself in an attempt to get warm again.

"What was that for?" he exclaimed, rubbing his hands up and down his arms.

"I need to make the bed, and you need to move," she demanded casually.

Contorting his face in confusion, Beast Boy ignored her order, and instead attempted to get the blanket back.

"But I'm still tired!" he insisted, grabbing hold of the dark blue comforter and pulling.

But Raven quickly recaptured it with her powers, yanking it from his grasp.

"Well, I'm _not_," she bit back. "So you need to go."

She then elected to push him from the bed with her powers, causing him to land on the floor with an "Oomph!"

Beast Boy stood up slowly, rubbing his tailbone gingerly and giving his teammate a dirty look, which she promptly ignored as she began making her bed. Undoubtedly sensing his building confusion, she acknowledged his presence with a quick glance as she straightened her pillows.

"I'm sorry for the rude awakening, but there is no way I'm leaving you alone in my room," she explained, smoothing out the wrinkles in her comforter. "So if you insist on going back to sleep, I suggest returning to your room."

Beast Boy sighed in exasperation, knowing not to argue with her when it came to her room. He had already proven himself to be a bit of a snoop, and he couldn't blame her for not wanting him in there alone. Plus, a part of him was kind of scared of the thought, anyway - her figurines were _really _creepy.

"Good morning to you, too," he mumbled sarcastically, before making his way towards her door. He was about to push the button to open it, but Raven quickly shielded it with her powers.

"Wait!" she called, causing him to turn back towards her in confusion.

She was standing beside her newly-made bed, a concerned look on her face.

"What?" he replied curiously.

A faint blush rose to her cheeks as her eyes darted between him and the door.

"You should probably turn into a bug or something, just in case someone's awake," she suggested awkwardly.

Beast Boy tilted his head to the side, processing her words with his tired mind. Raven expected him to sleep in her room, but wake up and leave every morning? And he couldn't even just walk out - he had to morph into some kind of insect, and what, _crawl _under the door? Was she serious right now?

"Seriously?" he groaned, giving her a pleading look.

She at least had the decency to look bashful as she readjusted her pillows. "It's just a precaution, Beast Boy... I mean, _we _both know this is just an arrangement, but to anyone else... I just don't want to have to explain this to someone."

Her words caused his chest to tighten uncomfortably, though he made no outward reaction. He _knew _that the thing between them was nothing more than an outlet for her, but hearing her say it out loud didn't feel very good. It was kind of like a blow to his chest; his heart felt heavy, and his lungs couldn't get enough oxygen. But only for a moment - he knew how to put on a brave face. Or in his case, a happy one.

"Wow, Rae - way to make a guy feel wanted," he joked. When she neglected to acknowledge him, he decided to take it a little further. "Do I even get a kiss good morning?"

Holding back a laugh as she whipped her head towards him, he quickly swallowed down any mirth when he saw the irritation in her eyes.

"J-just kidding!" he squeaked sheepishly, before morphing into a fly and squeezing under her door.

* * *

"Is this supposed to be a challenge?"

Beast Boy rolled his eyes as he attempted to ignore Jinx's taunts and focus on his own training. Robin had left specific instructions to train at least twice every day, and even pre-programmed several sessions. But, naturally, the former villain had shown up late, causing her to miss the more vigorous challenge at the beginning.

"It's the cool down," Raven deadpanned, dodging a fake missile flawlessly, all the while not breaking a sweat. "Maybe if you elected to show up on time, you would feel more challenged."

Snorting in amusement, Beast Boy glanced over at Jinx to gauge her reaction.

Surprisingly, she seemed unaffected by the empath's words, and was instead grinning as she rolled under a falling "building", before dodging a few missiles of her own. "Ha, maybe," she mused, dusting off her shoulder nonchalantly.

Beast Boy let out a low growl of frustration, before focusing back on his task. Robin had made the course quite simple - get to the other end without getting killed. He had Cyborg rig a few missiles and lasers, and though they weren't in any way lethal, it still hurt like hell to get hit by one. Which Beast Boy had learned the hard way. But he was starting to get the hang of dodging them, even in his human form. There was just one more "attack" to get through before he made it to the end, where Kid Flash was already waiting, rather impatiently. Naturally, the speedster had blown through the course in under a second.

"What's taking you guys so long?" he called from the finish line with a small smirk. "Hurry up!"

"Shut your mouth, Wally," Jinx bit back, barely ducking under a laser in time. "Oh my god, I think I just burnt my hair!"

Suppressing a rather loud chuckle, Beast Boy morphed into an eagle and successfully dodged the last of the lasers, finishing the course alongside Raven. Giving her a small smile after he transformed back, they both turned around to watch Jinx finish up.

Her pink hair was singed slightly at the top, which she didn't look very happy about, but she did manage to pass the last obstacle, a frown firmly etched upon her face.

"When Robin gets back, he's gonna get a piece of my mind," she declared, balling her hands into fists and stomping her foot angrily.

Kid Flash attempted to calm her down, while Beast Boy and Raven shared an amused look.

"I think that's enough training for now," the changeling announced carefully, not wanting to direct Jinx's anger towards him. "We'll do another session before dinner, unless we get an alert or something."

"Sounds good," Raven agreed, giving the former villain a skeptical look. "We can focus on more recreational activities for the time being."

"Sounds like a plan!" Beast Boy enthused, before following Raven out of the training room. Once the doors shut behind them, a hearty chuckle escaped his lips as a small smirk tugged at hers.

"Oh my god, I hope that happens again!" Beast Boy laughed, holding his stomach as he doubled over. He could tell Raven was attempting to keep her composure, but a small giggle slipped from her lips as well.

He tried straightening himself to see her smile, but she was successfully hiding it behind her hand. Feeling a little disappointed, he began to calm himself down as he stood back up. Making eye contact, he sent her a small smile, which she almost returned, before she seemingly came to her senses.

Clearing her through awkwardly, she quickly reverted back to her usual blank expression. "Well, we should probably get started on lunch," she suggested dryly, though the smile remained in her eyes.

Arching his brow skeptically, Beast Boy gave her a pointed look. "_We?_"

He bit back a smirk as she sent him a glare. "Fine. _You _should get started on lunch, and _I'll _-"

"Stay as far away from the kitchen as possible?" he teased.

"- and _I'll _go meditate," she continued, opting to ignore him. "Or, something."

Curious about what "something" could be, Beast Boy was about to ask her to elaborate, but the training room doors opening interrupted him. Suppressing another fit of laughter, he watched as Kid Flash unsuccessfully tried to console his seething girlfriend.

"You can't even tell, babe," he insisted, lying through his teeth. Her hair hadn't been completely burnt off, since the lasers weren't all that powerful, but the tips of her pigtails were definitely scorched - at least, according to the smell.

"Shut up," she growled, pushing past the empath and changeling and heading straight for the elevator. Kid Flash followed behind helplessly, obviously praying for an alert or something - hell, probably _anything _that would save him from the wrath of the pink-haired heroine.

Turning his attention back to the half-demon, Beast Boy decided to be a little daring.

"So, uh," he began, feeling his confidence falter slightly as her amethyst eyes met his, "d-do you wanna watch a movie or something? A-after lunch?"

"No, thank you," she answered almost immediately, causing the changeling to physically deflate. She must have noticed his disappointment, for she hastily added, "But maybe later; I've been wanting to catch up on my reading, and I just got this new book that I've been dying to start."

Feeling a little better, but also kind of embarrassed, Beast Boy sheepishly avoided eye contact. "Right, well... maybe later, then?"

He could feel her eyes on him, but he couldn't risk her seeing the sadness in his, so he continued to stare at the ground awkwardly.

"See you at lunch?" she offered hesitantly.

"Mmm hmm."

He listened to her footsteps as she walked away, before daring to look back up. He was barely able to catch sight of her as she phased through the ceiling, electing not to wait for the elevator.

Sighing in defeat, he made his way towards the end of the hall, pushing the up button on the elevator and waiting for it to come back down. He knew that his offer was completely innocent, but the fact that she turned him down kind of stung. It wasn't like he was breaking the rules or anything, and she _had _claimed that they were friends, but he couldn't understand why she didn't want to hang out with him. Did she really consider him a friend, or only when she needed one? Because it was starting to seem like she didn't even understand what being friends meant - it was a give-and-take kind of thing.

Shaking his head bitterly, he dragged himself onto the elevator as it opened, before slumping against the wall and pressing the button for the main floor.

* * *

"Sorry, dude, but Jinx is still pissed about what happened during training, so I promised I'd take her to lunch."

Beast Boy tried not to growl in frustration as he glanced down at all the pasta he had just made. Though it probably didn't seem like a big deal, he was a little miffed that he had made so much for just _two _people.

"_Really?_" he groaned, running his hand down his face in exasperation. "And you couldn't have told me sooner?"

Kid Flash sent the changeling a sheepish smile, before backing away towards the exit. "Like I said, I'm sorry," he replied, holding his hands up innocently. "Look at it this way - you made lunch _and _dinner! Just throw it in the fridge for later!"

Letting out a heavy sigh, Beast Boy reluctantly agreed. "Yeah, yeah..."

The speedster shot him a quick smile, before rushing off in a gust of wind, right as Raven entered the common room.

A look of surprise crossed her face as her hood flew back, before she caught sight of the changeling.

"Am I allowed in the kitchen yet?" she asked sarcastically, making her way towards him without waiting for an answer.

Beast Boy gave her a halfhearted smile, still a little upset with their conversation from earlier.

"As long as you don't touch anything," he replied lightly.

She shot him an unamused glare, before leaning over the counter to see what was in the pot.

"Pasta?" she questioned, arching her brow curiously.

Already a little pissed-off, Beast Boy couldn't help but snap at her seemingly dismissive outlook on lunch.

"Yeah, Rae - _pasta_. Freaking _pasta!_" he exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air angrily. "Let's see _you_ make something better!"

He watched as the empath took a step away from him, obviously taken aback by his harsh words. He was starting to hate pasta.

"Pasta is fine, Beast Boy," she deadpanned, somehow remaining calm, despite his sudden temper-tantrum.

Feeling a little embarrassed, as well as kind of guilty for snapping, he sheepishly avoided eye contact.

"Well, that's good, 'cuz I made a ton," he mumbled, stirring the noodles around the pot absently.

"Well, I've very hungry, so that's probably a good thing," Raven replied in a somewhat upbeat tone, undoubtedly unsettled by seeing the changeling so downtrodden. He almost smiled at her attempt to cheer him up, but their earlier conversation was still getting him down.

Passing her a plate, he watched as she leaned across the counter and served herself a generous helping, before heading towards the table. He followed behind with a plate of his own, watching her skeptically.

She was sitting across from him, her brows furrowed slightly as she twisted her fork into her meal. She seemed to be troubled by something, though he wasn't sure _what_, but she was trying really hard to seem nonchalant. Which was a pretty big sign that something was wrong.

"You okay?" he asked hesitantly, idly playing with his fork as well.

Raven glanced up at him quickly, before darting her eyes back towards her plate. "I'm fine," she replied dryly, bringing a forkful to her mouth.

Beast Boy watched as she tentatively chewed her meal, before her eyes returned to his as she swallowed.

"_You _okay?" she threw back.

Beast Boy stared at her in shock, his mind taking its time on finding a reasonable response. No, he _wasn't _okay. He was confused, upset, and a little hungry. And his stomach fluttered needlessly every time he so much as _looked_ at her, so her presence alone was making him _not _okay. Hell, he was the exact _opposite _of okay. He was _un_-okay.

"I'm f-fine," he lied, bringing his focus back to his meal. He was so _un_-okay that it hurt; like, it _physically _hurt him. But he forced himself to ignore the pain, and instead sent her a reassuring grin as he brought his fork to his mouth. _Ugh_, he _hated _pasta.

* * *

So it looks like the pressure is finally getting to him! What a sucky day, eh? Nothing seems to be going right! Hopefully things will start to turn around for our little Beast Boy!

Oh, and I know some of you want a chapter in Raven's point of view, but this whole story kinda revolves around the mystery of her motives, and I can't exactly write in her POV without giving away any major plot-points. So, I'm sorry! Maybe when everything comes to light, I can do a chapter with her, but I don't see it happening in the near future!

Anywhoo, we're at like 199 reviews, so I'm gonna round up and say 200! Two hundred reviews, guys! Omg, thank you so so much! And almost 100 follows? That's amazing! You guys are awesome!

Feel free to make those numbers go up - I really don't mind ;)


	15. Hugs

Must... disclaim... my... story! Can't... forget... to put... disclaimer!

* * *

Beast Boy was going to kill Jinx. Or at least have Raven do it.

The former-villain and her totally whipped boyfriend had turned their casual _lunch _outing into an all-day-event, resulting in the two of them missing training while the changeling and empath awkwardly waited. Since it was pre-programmed for a group assault, the two of them couldn't do it alone, and Robin was going to get an alert that _nobody _did the course.

And Beast Boy _really _didn't want a lecture from Robin.

"We'll just explain the situation - I'm sure he'll understand," Raven mused dryly, giving the course an unimpressed look. "Besides, it's not as if this is anything new."

Beast Boy nodded in agreement, though he _was _sort of looking forward to training. All his pent-up frustration with his teammate was really getting to him, and he needed to release it. Also, he knew Raven needed to release some of her aggression, and he _really _didn't want to be her buddy for _that_.

"How about we call it a night?" she suggested suddenly.

Turning to face her, Beast Boy gave her a confused look. "But it's not even dinner yet," he replied slowly, completely baffled.

But she merely snorted in amusement, before grabbing onto his forearm. "I'm not really hungry."

He barely had time to blink before he found them standing in her room. He then barely had time to open his mouth when he suddenly found himself on her bed, with her beside him. But it wasn't exactly an intimate position - she had pushed him down, resulting in him landing on his stomach, while she slowly laid herself beside him on her back.

Separating his face from her comforter, his expression contorted into a scowl.

"What the _hell_, Rae?"

She gave him a sideways glance, before shrugging nonchalantly, the fabric of her cloak sliding against her blanket.

"Starfire and I always flop onto the bed like this. I was just trying to get into the correct mindset," she explained, before rolling onto her side and propping her head up with her arm.

Beast Boy observed her warily, taking up a similar position.

"Mindset for _what?_" he asked hesitantly.

A small blush rose to her cheeks, causing his stomach to flutter wildly, despite himself. Attempting to stifle down those unwanted feelings, he tried to focus on what she was saying.

"Well, I know that this isn't a part of our arrangement, but I figured it was more so a 'friends' kind of thing," she began timidly, her other hand idly tracing patterns between them on her comforter.

"What?" Beast Boy pressed, feeling a little giddy with the prospect of her admitting their friendship aloud. He had been having his doubts earlier, and though he knew that she was still using him as a means to release her emotions, she was at least sugar-coating it with the word "friendship."

She seemed a little hesitant on speaking, and he noticed she was expertly avoiding eye contact as she let out a muted sigh. "Can we maybe have a little... girl-talk?"

Beast Boy's face dropped into a look of disbelief, as his eyebrows slowly furrowed together. _Girl-talk? _Was that _seriously_ what she needed to call it? He was all for talking, but he could really do without the name - if Cyborg _ever _got wind of this, he'd never let him live it down. Hell, he'd never let _himself _live it down. Sure, girl-talk as a punishment was fine, 'cuz it was being used to prove a point. But girl-talk for the hell of it? He had to draw the line somewhere.

"Does it necessarily _have _to be _girl_-talk? Can't it just be... _friend_-talk? Or... just _talking? _Can't we just _talk?_"

Raven stared at him blankly for a solid minute, before rolling back onto her back. "Why do I even bother," she deadpanned, running her hand down her face in exasperation.

"Awe, come on, Rae," Beast Boy groaned, adopting a similar position. "We can talk, if you want. I'd just prefer if we called it something else."

His eyes traced random lines on her ceilings, waiting for her response. The idea of talking to her sounded great, and he hadn't meant to change her mind by complaining. He just didn't want to be considered a _girl_friend.

"But there is a very big difference between _girl-talk _and just _talking_," she replied, somewhat shyly. "Talking can be about anything, but girl-talk is much more specific and... personal."

Hearing her explanation piqued his interests a bit, but he was still reluctant to agree. "Well, talking can get all deep and meaningful, too," he pointed out. "I mean, guys can have those kind of conversations, and we don't call it girl-talk. We call it... Well, we don't have a name for it. It's just _talking_."

He turned his head towards her as he finished speaking, making up his mind that it didn't matter if she insisted on calling it girl-talk; just so long as she was talking to _him_. He knew it was kind of immature to change the name, anyway - though he'd deny ever _willingly_ participating in it.

She was still staring up at the ceiling, her mouth drawn in a tight line and her eyes somewhat vacant. He wasn't sure why, but her expression kind of scared him. Whatever it was that was on her mind, it must have been pretty serious.

"I'm sorry if I've done something to upset you," she spoke suddenly, turning her head to face him. Her hair fell into her face at the action, but she quickly tucked it behind her ear.

Beast Boy blinked in confusion at her random apology, before a sense of understanding hit him, followed by sheer terror. Had she been _sensing his feelings?! _

"What do you... mean?" he asked hesitantly, drumming his fingers on his stomach nervously. He could have sworn she said she'd never _actively _read his emotions, and that it was only his aura she felt. And he really doubted that his aura had changed so drastically, just 'cuz he was a little pissed off today.

"I can tell you're upset," she began gently, already raising several red-flags in his mind, "and I think I have an _idea _of what I've done, and I'm sorry."

Beast Boy felt trapped by her intense gaze, finding himself unable to look away. It was like she was peering into his soul, finding any and every bad thing she had ever done to him, and begging for forgiveness.

He didn't like it.

"Well, how can you _tell _I'm upset?" he snapped, before closing his eyes in frustration.

"Do I really need to explain?" she mused lightly. Opening his eyes, he saw that she was smirking at him; a look that, despite how angry he could get with her, always made him smile back.

"I'm just kinda confused, is all," he admitted, feeling a blush rise to his cheeks. "Like, you say we're friends, but you never want to do anything with me, unless it benefits you or something."

Raven furrowed her brows slightly, letting his words hang in the air for a moment.

"I... I hadn't realized," she confessed, her eyes clouding over slightly. "I know it's no excuse, but I'm still getting the hang of this 'friendship' thing, and I'm bound to suck at it from time to time."

Letting out a curt laugh, he gave her a pointed look. "But all of us have been friends for years - how much time do you need to 'get used to it'?"

"As much time as you're willing to give me," she replied shyly, giving him a small smile.

He couldn't help but grin back, before cautiously removing his hand from his stomach and inching it towards hers. He tentatively brushed the tips of his fingers against hers, and when she made no sign of disapproval, he slowly intertwined their fingers.

"Take as much time as you need, then," he offered softly, feeling his heart skip a beat as her smile grew. He knew that his actions would be seen as an extended olive branch, and nothing more, but the fact that they were willingly holding hands made his heart pound in his chest. The only time they ever really touched was when Raven needed his "help", so the fact that she was allowing him to be so close was amazing. It was like she truly _did _care; that there _was _something between them - even if it was just friendship.

She _cared _about him; enough to notice when he was upset, and even apologize for it.

But as his mind continued to find reasons why everything was suddenly so amazing, it also pointed out a few things that kind of hurt. Like, the fact that she solely regarded him as a friend. There wasn't much hope that she felt anything more - he _knew _that. She had made it blatantly clear that there were _no _feelings involved in their arrangement. And sure, he was okay with it at first, but he should have known better.

He should have remembered how easy it was to fall for her, despite how different they were. He should have remembered all the pain he felt when she'd deny even his _friendship_, and close herself off. And he should have remembered that she was fully capable of doing it again.

But in that moment, he decided to push away those feelings, and focus on the now. Raven was smiling at him, holding his hand, and proving that he wasn't just a means to an end. He was her friend.

The sudden beeping of his communicator knocked him from his trance, and caused her to rapidly pull her hand away, as if it had been burned. Sitting up quickly, and ignoring the way his heart sunk at her reaction, he went to answer his communicator, only to have it be consumed by dark energy and thrown across the room.

"What the _hell_, Rae?!"

But instead of looking bashful, Raven was sending him a furious glare.

"You almost _answered _that - in my _room!_" she exclaimed, the sudden volume of her voice making him jump._  
_

Not realizing the apparent severity of the situation, Beast Boy knitted his brows together in confusion. "_So?_"

"_So?_" Raven repeated, outraged. "Tell me; how _exactly_ would you explain being in_ my room?_"_  
_

Realization dawned on him slowly, before a sheepish smile crept onto his face. "Heh, my bad - hadn't really... thought that through, I guess," he shrugged.

He watched as Raven's lips silently chanted her mantra, before she sighed in exasperation. He knew that he had almost made things extremely difficult for them, but he felt she kind of overreacted. He kept that to himself, though. Obviously.

"I didn't mean to snap at you," she began stoically, giving him a blank look. "I'm sorry."

"It's fine, Rae," he smiled, hoping she wouldn't sense the part of him that was a little pissed-off. "I almost did something totally stupid; as usual!"_  
_

He attempted to lighten the mood with a joke, but she continued staring at him with a deadpan expression. He really hated when she'd look at him like that - it was hard enough trying to figure out what she was thinking as it was; he didn't need her staring at him blankly added on top. Even though she tended to do that often.

She looked as if she were about to speak, but the sudden beeping of her communicator made them both jump. He watched her slowly reach for it, undoubtedly composing herself before answering it.

Closing her eyes and sighing, she waited a moment longer, before flipping it open.

"Raven speaking."

_"Hey there, Rave," _Robin's voice rung out, sounding none too pleased. _"Mind telling me why I got an alert that nobody attended training this evening?"_

Beast Boy couldn't see his leader's face, but there wasn't a doubt in his mind that it was contorted into some kind of scowl.

Raven opened her mouth to respond, but the boy wonder wasn't finished.

_"And why nobody is answering their communicators? I'm gone for a _day_, and it's like you've all turned into Beast Boy."_

The changeling was about to protest, but a sharp look from the half-demon silenced him, and he remembered that he wasn't supposed to be in the room. Furrowing his brows angrily, he folded his arms across his chest and pouted in silence.

Raven quickly looked away from him and back towards the screen of her communicator. "Well, you'll have to take missing training up with Jinx; apparently, her and Kid Flash had gone out for _lunch_, and they haven't returned," she mused dryly, giving Beast Boy a fleeting look. "And I'm not sure why those two aren't answering, but the last time I saw Beast Boy, he said he was about to hop in the shower."

Beast Boy felt a small smile tug at the corner of his mouth as he listened to Raven cover for him. Not answering Robin's call really wasn't that big of a deal, but the fact that she didn't want him to get in trouble made his stomach flutter. She was _lying _for him - like a true friend.

_"Ugh - I _knew _Jinx was gonna cause more trouble than it's worth," _Robin growled angrily, to which Beast Boy nodded in agreement, despite his leader not knowing he was even there. _"How have things been? Have you guys had many alerts? Are you working well together?"_

Raven rolled her eyes at the series of questions Robin threw out, before giving their leader a pointed look. "Things have been fine, and, surprisingly, we haven't had a single alert," she deadpanned. "Though, you've only been gone a _day_. Relax, Robin - Beast Boy and I have everything under control."

Again, Beast Boy felt a fuzzy feeling throughout his body at Raven's words, but made no outward reaction besides a toothy grin, which she elected to ignore.

_"Not a single alert?" _Robin repeated in disbelief, opting to ignore Raven's last statement. _"Not one? There must be some kind of conspiracy; everyone has probably teamed up with Sl-"_

"Or everyone heard Jinx is in town," Raven interrupted in her monotone, her face blank. "Not everything is a conspiracy, Robin."

Beast Boy suppressed an impressed chuckle at how easy it was for Raven to derail their leader's obsessive tendencies. He was also pretty sure Jinx being in town _was _the reason everyone was on their best behavior. The pink-haired heroine had a reputation for delivering a serious ass-whooping.

Robin must have figured the same thing, for all he had to say was a defeated, _"Yeah, maybe..."_

Seemingly pleased with herself, Raven gave their leader a smirk, before smoothly changing the subject. "So, how long til you get to Tamaran?"

Beast Boy's ears perked up slightly, intent on getting an update on Starfire.

_"We should arrive sometime tomorrow," _Robin replied, sounding a little off-put by the subject change. _"Star's been doing good - Cy sealed off her compartment, but we can still see each other and communicate through our headsets, so she's not completely isolated."_

"That's good," Raven drawled, while Beast Boy let out a silent sigh. He had been worried that the alien would feel like a prisoner during the trip, so it was nice to hear she wasn't locked away for Robin's safety.

_"Anyway, I'll call you guys tomorrow with an update, and again when they figure out what's wrong with her. Keep the city safe, and make sure Jinx's communicator is on," _he ordered, his voice almost a growl. _"I need to speak with her."_

"I'll give her the message," Raven smirked, obviously pleased with the thought of the former-villain getting chewed out. "Talk to you tomorrow."

_"Alright - Robin out."_

Beast Boy watched as Raven snapped her communicator shut, before turning herself to face him. She stared at him quizzically for a moment, causing him to shift uncomfortably.

"Yeah?" he asked hesitantly, unsure of why she was looking at him so intently.

"I'm..." Raven began, seemingly weighing what she was about to say in her head. "I'm sorry for what Robin said about you."

Somewhat surprised by her words, a small, confused smile tugged at Beast Boy's lips. Sure, what Robin said had stung a bit, but he knew that his leader was only speaking from experience. The changeling tended to lose his communicator often, as well as think up any and every excuse _not _to go to training. He knew Robin wasn't being completely serious.

"It's fine, Rae," he insisted with a grin. And it really was - he was actually kind of grateful for the boy wonder's words. Otherwise he wouldn't have heard Raven come to his defense.

"No, it's not."

He was a bit taken aback by the hostility in her voice, and it was then that he noticed she looked rather upset; as if the insults were directed at _her _or something. But before he could assure her that he didn't take their leader's words to heart, Raven was suddenly directly beside him, before she started pulling him into a... a _hug?_

Beast Boy felt himself freeze as the empath wrapped her arms around his torso, resting her chin atop his shoulder. Having her this close wasn't necessarily new to him, but the hesitant manner she was acting with _was. _Sure, she often looked flustered during their little makeout sessions, but she was always confident with how she moved. Now, it felt like she hadn't a clue what she was doing.

"Uh?" he blurted, completely flabbergasted.

"I'm expressing my feelings through this kind gesture, Beast Boy," she drawled, sounding a bit peeved. "The least you could do is humor me."

Slowly lifting his arms from his sides, he tentatively wrapped them around Raven's small frame, a bewildered expression plastered on his face. _They were hugging. _

He felt his face flush as Raven pulled him closer, obviously intent on getting the message through to him. But if anything, it made him more confused; why the _hell _was this happening?

"There, that wasn't so hard," she muttered, though he wasn't sure if she was talking to him, or to herself. As she began to pull away, he let his arms fall limply to his sides once more, as his brows knitted together in complete confusion.

"What?" she deadpanned, seeing his expression.

Unsure of what to say, Beast Boy cleared his throat awkwardly. How was it that a _hug _from her confused him more than a _kiss? _They had hugged before, so it wasn't like a foreign concept or anything - and yet, it was beyond weird.

"W-why..?" he spurted out, managing to find his voice, even if it was fleeting.

He was surprised to see Raven look away bashfully, which only fueled the complete insanity of the situation.

"You looked like you needed a hug," she shrugged, her monotone faltering slightly. She continued avoiding eye contact, and instead stared at her lap.

Beast Boy couldn't stop a small smile from spreading across his lips, though he knew she couldn't see it. But, if he wasn't mistaken, it sounded like Raven had just admitted to doing something _nice _for him - something that didn't directly benefit her.

She was concerned about his feelings being hurt, and expressed those thoughts through a _hug _\- something she didn't seem to thrilled on doing, but did it anyway. _For him._

Maybe he was looking at their situation all wrong; maybe she _was _being a good friend, and he was just too confused to notice. Maybe his feelings for her were clouding the way he was seeing things. Maybe _he _was the one in the wrong.

But as he weighed those thoughts in his head, he realized bitterly that it probably wasn't the case. No matter which way he diced it, everything came back to the same conclusion: Raven was using him, and he was only telling himself otherwise.

* * *

Poor BB - hopefully he's just being bitter and not thinking clearly! I mean, Raven seems to enjoy his company, even when they're just talking or hanging out. Maybe he's just overreacting?

Oh well - we'll find out soon enough. I already know how I'm ending this, and there's only about 4 or 5 chapters left, so this isn't going to be a million chapters long, like all my other stories lol.

Anywhoo, we've passed 200 reviews and 100 follows, which is amazing! You guys are fantastic - thank you! And a big thank you to every one of my readers, as well! Just seeing the view count go up makes me giddy! Oh, and this is a little random, but... I'm getting tired of not having a cover for any of my stories, so I'm totally up for suggestions! I am a bit picky though, and I want something recognizably BBRae, but not something that's been used countless times. Something kinda simple, I guess. Also, permission from the artist is preferred - so if you know someone who doesn't mind their artwork being used for covers, leave their name/information; I'd love to check them out!

Anyways, I hope you guys enjoyed this slightly drama-fied chapter, and feel free to leave a review! :P


	16. Cupcakes

_**Bold, Italicized Disclaimer! **_

* * *

Beast Boy sighed reluctantly as he pulled himself out of bed. Raven had graced him with a less-rude awakening this morning, though he was still pretty miffed about having to get up. He valued his sleep, and liked to get as much of it as he could. After all, being a superhero could get rather unpredictable, and he hated missing out on some well-deserved rest.

But he knew that complaining would only earn him a sharp glare and a few biting words, so he kept his mouth shut.

Raven seemed to have been in an oddly cheerful mood as she shook him from his sleep - he could have sworn he saw her smirking. But it had been gone in an instant, replaced by her usual blank expression.

"Get up, Beast Boy."

Her voice was raspier than usual, which caused him to swallow down a chuckle. Despite the fact that his teammate was undoubtedly a female, her voice often gave his a run for its money when it came to being deep. But he still found it endearing - hell, it was incredibly adorable. Her voice was completely unexpected.

"Get _up!_"

Realizing he had started to doze back off, Beast Boy climbed out of her bed completely, stretching as he stood. He spared her a sideways glance, feeling rather smug as he caught her turning away quickly, a small blush staining her cheeks. Was she... _watching _him? That was certainly a surprise. Maybe she was attracted to him as well?

But as his mind pondered over that further, he realized that even if she was, it would probably only be from an objective standpoint. Raven didn't _get_ feelings - at least, not for _him_, anyway. He was barely even a blip on her radar; seen only as a means to expel her more troublesome emotions.

He knew that this arrangement of theirs wasn't going to end up well, but he hadn't realized how... _bitter _it would make him. He didn't feel like himself.

"I'm going to take a quick shower, so meet me in the common room?"

He looked up at her curiously, not entirely sure if she had actually spoken. She stared back, her eyes darting between his impatiently.

"_Okay?_"

"...Okay."

He watched as she gathered up her bathroom necessities, a distant expression crossing her features. He wasn't sure what was up, but he figured it was bad news. Had he done something wrong? Was she putting an end to the whole 'benefits' thing?

For some strange reason, that thought scared the hell out of him. He hated how _used_ it made him feel, but the thought of her seeking help from anyone else boiled his blood. Somebody else kissing her; touching her. It was disgusting.

"_What_, Beast Boy?"

The green titan jumped, having been so focused on his thoughts, that he had still neglected to leave her room.

"Huh?" he blurted, giving her a quizzical look.

She was staring back at him, looking confused as well.

"You're still in here... and you're _staring _at me," she replied in her monotone, holding her towel to her chest.

Beast Boy blinked slowly, feeling a blush rise to his cheeks. He hadn't even realized he had been staring. He had just been so caught up in his thoughts - his mind was clouded with his fear of her breaking it off, as well as his annoyance at continuing. He didn't know how to _feel_, let alone think clearly.

"Sorry," he muttered, looking down at his feet. Why was it suddenly feeling like there wasn't even a friendship between them anymore? Had he just been reduced to the _benefits? _

He could hear Raven moving across the room, though he kept his eyes glued to the floor. He _really _didn't want to look at her - see whether it'd be anger or pity behind her eyes. He didn't want her to feel either for him. He just wanted a friend.

"Is something wrong?"

She was directly in front of him, her subtle, floral scent attacking his senses while his eyes traced up her legs and towards her face reluctantly. She looked legitimately concerned for him; her brows furrowed and her eyes filled with worry. He wanted so badly to push her away from him, yet at the same time, embrace her tightly and never let her go. It wasn't fair that he felt more for her than she'd ever feel for him.

He wanted to tell her that he couldn't do it anymore; he couldn't pretend that he didn't have feelings. How had she not figured it out already? How was she that clueless when it came to those kind of emotions?

How could she stand there, looking at him with those violet eyes, and not realize he was falling in love with her?

"I'm fine," Beast Boy lied, swallowing down the lump in his throat. "Just tired - you keep waking me up so early." He sent her a half-hearted smile, hoping she'd buy the lie and not take the liberty of checking his emotions for herself. What a mess _that_ would be.

"Are you sure?" She seemed hesitant on believing him, though he couldn't really blame her. He was certain his aura had been like a roller coaster these past few days - she was probably overwhelmed by the back and forth motion of it.

"I'm sure, Rae - everything's fine!" he replied with a little more enthusiasm, hoping that the glimmer of his old self would convince her that he was feeling nothing more than sleep-deprivation. And _not _unrequited love.

She continued to regard him skeptically, though she didn't question him further. Feeling an awkward silence settle between them, he gave her a subdued smile while rubbing the back of his neck.

"So, uh, I'll get outta your hair, now," he laughed, turning himself around.

But Raven's arm shot out almost immediately, latching onto his shoulder and turning him back towards her. He gave her a bewildered look as he stumbled in place, before righting himself.

"Uh?" he questioned, his gaze darting between the hand on his shoulder and the blank look in her eyes.

"I just wanted to tell you that you're amazing for putting up with me," she began with a small blush, though her face remained placid. "And I'm sorry about waking you up so early... Maybe I'll push back my shower, and meditate a little longer in the mornings?"

Beast Boy cocked his head to the side in confusion as her words sunk in. Was she... _compromising? _Had she _actually _taken his feelings into account, and attempted to meet him in the middle? Was this _progress? _

"Uh, well... if that works for you, I'm up for it!" he enthused, actually feeling some genuine happiness for the first time since he had woken up. Raven was _trying_.

She sent him a small smile, before patting his shoulder awkwardly. Despite her taking the reins whenever they kissed, she seemed totally lost when it came to physical displays of friendship.

Rolling his eyes fondly, Beast Boy shook off her hand before stretching his arms out wide.

"Nuh uh, Rae - _this _calls for a hug!" he teased, wiggling his brows playfully.

Her blush darkened significantly, though she slowly held her arms out as well, tentatively leaning towards him.

Grinning at her reluctance, he scooped her into a large bear-hug, his lanky frame somehow swallowing her petite one whole. It had taken _months _for her to be comfortable enough around him to even _sit _beside him, and now, this was their second hug in less than twelve hours. He was _definitely _making progress.

Giving her one last squeeze, he released her hesitantly. Her face was bright red and her hair had become a bit disheveled, but he couldn't stop himself from smiling. She looked adorable.

"Okay, we hugged. You can go now." She seemed a little flustered by the act, but he figured it was due to her not being used to having to hug _back_. She usually stood there stoically, taking the friendly affection with a frown on her face.

"Yeah, yeah," he laughed, turning back towards her door. Letting out a silent sigh, he quickly morphed into a fly and exited her room.

* * *

Beast Boy rubbed his arm nervously as he stood before the common room doors. Raven had told him to meet her in here after her shower, but he had gone to his room and fallen asleep instead, meaning it was well past the time she had asked for him. He knew that she _probably _wouldn't be too mad, but he didn't want to back-track after all that had happened earlier. After all, they had _hugged_.

Exhaling a shaky breath, Beast Boy entered the common room cautiously.

Right away, his eyes were drawn to the hovering form in the window. Raven's back was to him as she meditated, her cloak billowing behind her gently as she mumbled her mantra under her breath. It was an oddly comforting sight, and the green titan wondered idly if she _wouldn't _be mad at him.

"Oh, so you've decided to show up."

But that wasn't very likely.

Feeling his ears lower slightly, Beast Boy slowly crept into the room, watching as Raven landed silently on the floor.

"Sorry... I, uh, fell asleep," he admitted sheepishly.

She continued to stare out the window, so he had no clue what she was thinking as he stared at the back of her head. Though, the same was often true for when he _was _able to see her face, so that really wasn't saying much.

"Hmm." She must have been too angry for words - which scared the hell out of him. Raven was _always _looking for a reason to chew him out.

Rooted in his spot, Beast Boy continued to internally panic as the empath slowly turned around to face him. She was expressionless, as usual, but her arms were crossed in front of her defiantly. And though he was no detective like Robin, he could easily detect that she was not happy.

"My powers are a tricky thing, Beast Boy." She began moving towards him, and he knew that it would probably be best to vacate the room, but he couldn't find the sense to move. "_Very _tricky."

Gulping nervously, the changeling nodded his head.

"And sometimes, I have to subject myself to the strangest of experiences, just to alleviate the stress my powers put on me. I'm sure you have an idea of what I'm referring to."

Nodding again, Beast Boy's eyes darted around the room. He couldn't find the nerve to look her in the eyes, unless he wanted his stomach to rip itself apart. Yet, when he did look at her, he was unable to break their locked gazes.

"But not everything is always so simple." Raven was now directly in front of him, her violet irises boring into his emerald ones as her mouth sunk into a frown. Whatever she was about to tell him, he knew she wasn't happy about it. Which was either a really _good _thing, or a really _bad _thing.

He wasn't sure which was worse.

"I have a really big favor to ask of you, Beast Boy."

That was a little unexpected, but no less terrifying. What more could Raven possibly want? He was already subjected to girl-talk and cuddling - and that was really all he could think of that'd require a prolonged discussion. Unless she wanted _more _than cuddling. _More _than just kissing.

"I figure you may be a bit hesitant, judging by our past experience with this. Well, _lack _of experience for _me_, I should say, but I think this will be a good outlet. And I know that your skills are more refined than mine, so I would think that this would be manageable for you."

Beast Boy cocked his head to the side in confusion. What was he more experienced at? She didn't think he had..? That would definitely be an ego-booster, but it sadly wasn't true. He was as experienced as her when it came to... well, wait - what was she even talking about?

He didn't want to jump to conclusions - especially since his thought process was a bit of a leap, but what else could she be referring to? Something they both had experienced; but something he was better at than her. What was he better at? Or, at least, what did she _think _he was better at?

"Will you... will you teach me how to cook?"

Shock and confusion. That was what he was feeling. He must have been hearing things, because it sounded like... No, that couldn't have been what she said. She must have said something else... She couldn't have said that she... she wanted to...

She wanted to learn how to _cook?_

Beast Boy couldn't swallow down the chuckle in his throat as he doubled over, holding his stomach while his body shook with laughter. _Raven _wanted _cooking lessons? _This had to have been the weirdest thing to ever happen to him - and that was saying a lot. His half-demon teammate who happened to be using him as an outlet for her more affectionate emotions without actually feeling anything other than tolerance for him while he was crushing on her hard... wanted him to _also _teach her how to _cook? _

"Stop laughing."

He knew that this was obviously hard for her to ask, and his laughter probably wasn't helping, but he couldn't stop. It was just so far from where he thought she was going - hell, he _never _expected _that _to come out of her mouth. Raven wanted to _cook. _

"Seriously, Beast Boy; _stop_," his teammate demanded, her voice rising slightly.

Swallowing down his mirth, the changeling bit his lip as he stood back up to face the empath.

She was blushing furiously, her mouth set in a straight line. Her brows were furrowed angrily, but other than that, she looked entirely passive.

"Sorry, Rae," he replied sheepishly, his laughter threatening to come back. He knew it wasn't really all that funny, but it had just been so unexpected - he thought she was going to ask him for sex or something.

"Whatever." He could tell she was mad by her clipped reply, and he couldn't help but give her a small smile.

"Awe, come on," he laughed, pushing her shoulder playfully. "I said I was sorry! I shouldn't have laughed at you."

Raven continued to look annoyed, though he could see that she wasn't necessarily _angry _at him. More so at the situation, he guessed.

"I was hoping we could be mature about this," she deadpanned, giving him a pointed look. "But I forgot I was dealing with _you_."

Rolling his eyes at her insult, Beast Boy gave her a large grin. "Hey, _you _came to _me_, Rae."

"And I'm already regretting it." But her sharp words were blunted by the small smirk tugging at her lips.

Cursing himself for letting his eyes linger on her lips for longer than necessary, Beast Boy let out a wistful sigh.

"Nah, Rae - I promise you won't regret coming to me. I'm a _fantastic _cook!"

Raven gave him a skeptical look, though he could tell she had already made up her mind. He was helping her, whether or not he even wanted to, and she was going to make sure he knew that.

"I'll take your word for it," she mused, her gaze wandering towards the kitchen behind him. "Well, let's get this over with."

* * *

Apparently, Raven had meant _baking_. Not _cooking_, but _baking_. She wanted to learn how to make _cupcakes_, of all things, and she expected Beast Boy to teach her. _How to bake._

Beast Boy wasn't a baker. He made a mean tofu lasagna and a killer Portobello steak, but _cupcakes? _He was just as lost as her. Though he didn't tell her that.

He was pleasantly surprised to find that she had decided on a vegan recipe, though he figured it was so he'd have no excuse _not _to try it. She was also being scarily civil with him, and had even smirked at one of his jokes - a lame one, too. And she hadn't called him an idiot yet, which was an impressive feat. The only downside to this experience was her explanation of _why _she wanted to bake. No, it wasn't just to spend time with a friend - it was an outlet.

Learning a new skill took focus, discipline, and hard work. Traits that her neglected emotions would find useful. It was a creative way to release her curiosity and intellect, and also a bit of healthy rage (she especially enjoyed throwing their first batch against the wall when they proved to be inedible).

So, again, Beast Boy found that he was being used. But as he watched her poke her finger into the batter and sneak a taste, he couldn't bring himself to be upset.

"I hope these turn out," Raven huffed, tentatively pouring the batter into the cupcake pan. This was their fourth attempt, and he could tell she was getting rather impatient. Though he couldn't really blame her.

"Fourth time's the charm," he grinned, bumping his shoulder against hers playfully. She shot him a sideways glare, though he could see the amusement in her eyes. They were having fun.

"I just want to get this over with, before anyone sees me like this," she explained, gesturing to her flour-covered uniform. It was a miracle that neither Kid Flash or Jinx had wandered into the common room yet, but Beast Boy figured they were probably still sleeping. After all, it was barely ten in the morning; despite getting an extra bit of sleep in his room, he was starting to adopt the empath's habit of waking early.

"But you look so good, Rae," he teased, desperately hoping his blush wouldn't give away the sincerity of his comment.

Thankfully, Raven let out a snort of amusement, before lifting the pan with her powers and phasing it through the door of the oven. She had burnt herself opening the thing more times than either of them could count, and declared the appliance a nuisance, electing to no longer use the door.

"No matter what happens, we are eating these," she announced, dusting off her front absently. "I did not make all that frosting for nothing."

Cringing as he remembered his teammate's battle with the mixer, Beast Boy glanced at the bowl of (surprisingly) tasty homemade vanilla frosting. It was so far the only edible thing Raven had ever made.

"Well, if all else fails, we can frost these up and give them to Jinx," he suggested with a smirk, imagining the pink-haired heroine biting into the dessert and chipping a tooth.

Raven must have pictured something similar, for a small smile tugged gently at her lips. "Possibly; though I think the first batch would have sufficed."

Nodding in agreement, Beast Boy let out an amused sigh. He had been so angry at his teammate this morning, and now he was having so much fun with her. It was like she made him feel his worse, _and _his best. How could she make him so bitter, and yet lift his spirits with a simple smile?

A comfortable silence settled between them as they both leaned against the counter, staring at the oven's window while their cupcakes baked. The burnt smell was starting to fade from attempt number two, being replaced by the smell of the spilled batter from attempt number three. It was a calming combination, and Beast Boy found that it was somewhat healing his torn mind. He couldn't stop himself from sneaking at glance at his teammate every so often, the small smile on her face making his stomach churn pleasantly. He hated himself for falling down this path again, but he couldn't stop. It was a one-way road into heartbreak, and he was speeding down it like a mad man. But one would have to be mad to actually form a crush on Raven, wouldn't they?

Letting out a subdued chuckle, he watched as Raven leaned towards the oven, peering into it impatiently. She was obviously intent on getting it right this time.

"I think they're almost done," she mused, giving the dessert an inquisitive look before turning around to face him. "And I think we actually -"

But she was cut off as she stepped into a glob of wet batter and slipped. Reacting quickly, Beast Boy caught her arm and pulled her back, only he seemed to have done so with too much force, causing the empath to slam into him.

He grimaced as the counter dug into his lower back, though he was able to steady them both.

"You okay?" he asked, unable to hide the concern in his voice.

Raven glanced up at him slowly, her eyes wide with surprise. She was pressed firmly against his chest, since he had neglected to remove his arms from around her.

"I'm fine, Beast Boy," she replied, a small blush rising to her cheeks. It was then that the changeling realized he was still holding her tightly against him, but he couldn't find the willpower to let her go. Her face was just inches away from his, and all he had to do was close the distance between them. His eyes idly wandered from her violet irises and towards her lips, which were parted in the most tempting way.

They were slowly getting closer, and he realized in horror that he had begun to lean in. But, to his surprise, it didn't seem as if Raven was doing anything to stop him. In fact, they both were so caught up in what was happening, that neither of them smelt the scent of burning cupcakes, nor saw the smoke billowing from the oven.

They also failed to hear the sound of the common room doors opening behind them.

* * *

This is a cliffhanger, right? Lol

Actually, this is what happens when Cupcake Wars is on Netflix. Sorry...

Review? That'd be splendid! :)


	17. Maybe

I don't own the Teen Titans. If I did, they'd probably hate me for doing this to them. And to you guys. :)

* * *

So, Raven was _really _starting to piss him off.

Like, the least she could have done was teleport him with her. You know, so he wouldn't have been standing alone in the kitchen, his arms embracing the air and a stupid look plastered across his face.

But no, the moment she heard Jinx's shrill voice call out an eloquent "What the hell is that _smell?_", she had disappeared, leaving behind a confused changeling to explain why the oven was on fire.

Of course, the oven _wasn't_ _actually_ on fire, but something was definitely burning. As if in a trance, Beast Boy slumped towards the oven and opened it cautiously. Surprisingly, it _wasn't _the cupcakes that were burning, but rather the spilled batter from attempt number two. Or was it three? He couldn't remember _when _they had sloshed the sticky substance all over the kitchen; he just remembered that Raven had slipped in it. And fell into his arms. And he was about to kiss her.

And he was pretty sure she was going to let him.

"Hello? Are you deaf?"

Suppressing a growl within his throat, Beast Boy quickly slipped on an oven mitt and removed the perfectly golden-brown cupcakes. Setting it on the island counter behind him, he gave the former villain before him an irritated look.

"_What?_"

Jinx seemed rather taken aback by his harsh tone, though she quickly shook it off, and instead inspected the messy kitchen.

"You made... cupcakes?" There was a hint of amusement in her voice, though her face remained passive. Not emotionless and placid like _Raven's_, but enough to look only mildly condescending. Which was sort of refreshing.

"Yep." Beast Boy didn't want to explain that it had actually been _Raven's _wild idea, and decided it was best to let Jinx believe he was an avid baker. Despite the potential black-mail he was creating for himself.

"That's cool," Jinx mused, failing miserably at suppressing her smirk. Her pink eyes darted between him and the hot pan in front of him, before she let her smile surface. "Can I have one?"

"Go for it." He didn't even attempt to warn her as she reached towards the hot pan, but the beeping of her communicator stopped her from burning herself.

Feeling slightly let down, Beast Boy watched absently as the former villain shuffled with the small, yellow device.

"Isn't there like a 'silent mode' or something? This thing never shuts up!" she complained, giving the communicator a bewildered look.

"You're supposed to answer it," the changeling informed her, arching his brows warily. "You know, 'cuz it could be an alert, and you're kinda a superhero."

Jinx merely rolled her eyes, before flipping the device open.

"Why, hello there, Bird-Boy," she cooed, batting her eyelashes at the screen. "Does that pretty little alien of yours know you're calling me?"

_"Cut the crap, Jinx - You and Kid Flash are in serious trouble. Or have you forgotten the fact that you guys serve as temporary titans for my team?"_

At the sound of Robin's authoritative voice, Beast Boy excused himself from the kitchen, uninterested in hearing the lecture. Though the shocked look on Jinx's face _was _mildly entertaining - something told him she hadn't been talked to like that.

Shaking his head in amusement, he headed for the common room doors, nearly crashing into Kid Flash as the speedster rubbed his eyes tiredly.

"Man, I'm beat!" he complained, unaware of the impending doom awaiting him in the common room.

Giving his clueless teammate a sympathetic half-smile, Beast Boy slipped around him and headed down the hall. He had to talk to Raven.

He was _positive _that they had been about to kiss - and not one of their little "arrangement kisses" - no, that was a spur-of-the-moment, possible-mutual-feelings kiss. Or, well, _almost _kiss. _  
_

Regardless, he just _knew _that it was something more. He _knew _that she was going to let him kiss her - even if it was a violation of her rules. She hadn't seemed to care. Hell, it was almost like she _wanted _him to kiss her.

But as he neared her door, he began to doubt himself. What if she hadn't realized what was happening? What if she was just too horrified to stop him? Those thoughts began to plague his mind, and he suddenly felt like avoiding the empath for the rest of the day. After all, she couldn't reject him if she never found him, right?

As that thought became more appealing, he realized bitterly that it was too late. He was already at her door - it'd be pointless not to knock. But maybe she wasn't even in there; maybe she'd gone up to the roof. That was a very strong possibility.

Hoping that was the case, Beast Boy tentatively rapped his knuckles against her door. At first, he was met with silence, but before he could let out a sigh of relief and retreat to his own room, the door before him slid open.

"What happened? Did she see me?"

Raven sounded panicked - which was almost unheard of. She always kept a level head; even in the most dangerous and complicated situations. She also looked rather frazzled; she had changed into a clean uniform, but her hair was all askew and her face was flushed. It was as if she were completely desperate to hide any involvement with making the cupcakes. Or maybe, her involvement of being with _him_.

"I don't think so," Beast Boy answered cautiously, feeling his earlier determination disappear. He suddenly found himself fearing the possibility of getting an answer from her - she was obviously in a weird state of mind. Perhaps he had just been about to take advantage of her? That was an unpleasant thought. He'd never want her to do anything that she wasn't comfortable with. Despite the fact that she subjected _him _to a lot of uncomfortable situations.

"Good." She let out a relieved sigh, leaning against her doorway. "I have no idea how we'd explain ourselves out of _that_," she mused.

Beast Boy felt his heart rate quicken as her words tumbled around in his mind. What was she referring to - the baking, or the almost-kiss? And if it were the latter, was she admitting what had almost happened?

"Explain _what_, exactly?" he asked hesitantly, rubbing the back of his neck in a sheepish manner. He wasn't sure if he was mentally prepared to have this conversation.

His breath caught in his throat as Raven gave him an inquisitive look, before her eyes wandered down his torso and towards his feet. They then darted back up to meet his, and she cocked her head to the side. "You should probably change, Beast Boy. You're a mess."

Feeling his face flush slightly, Beast Boy directed his gaze towards the ground. He couldn't understand why he suddenly felt so awkward around her. Was she not even going to acknowledge what had almost happened? Was it really up to him?

"I need to talk to you about something," he began with a shaky voice. It was now or never, right?

"Can you change first? I don't want you getting flour and batter all over the floor," she replied in her monotone, seemingly unphased by his request.

Confused, Beast Boy nodded his head. Raven was acting... _normal_. As if nothing had happened at all.

"Alright - just come back when you're done. You don't have to knock," Raven deadpanned, before shutting her door.

He watched it close, his stomach twisting and his head spinning. Were they actually going to talk about what happened? Or was she going to keep avoiding the subject? Hell, did she even _realize _she was avoiding it?

Letting out a defeated huff, Beast Boy quickly made his way to his room.

* * *

It was weird not knocking. He felt like he was trespassing or something. Raven _hated _it whenever people would just barge in, so this was probably a _good _thing, right? She trusted him enough to let him walk on in - maybe even _liked _him enough to let him do it?

He slid the door open slowly, cautiously peeking into the dark room. Raven was floating above her bed in a meditative state, though he could tell she was aware of his presence. Shutting the door behind him, he silently stepped further into her room.

"Raven -" he began, but was immediately interrupted.

"I don't know if baking helped," she mused, landing on her bed softly and patting the spot beside her. Beast Boy moved across the room hesitantly, unsure if he wanted to comply. But as her eyes began to narrow, he hurried towards her.

Sitting down tentatively, he gave her a shy, sideways glance. "You don't?"

She shook her head, before turning herself to face him. Her legs were crossed between them, with her hands folded patiently in her lap. "I'm not sure what it is I need right now," she admitted, shrugging, but in a somehow dignified way. Leave it to Raven to make hunched shoulders look elegant.

"What do you mean?" Beast Boy pressed, unsure of how he was feeling at the moment. On one hand, he wanted to figure out what had almost happened in what he now dubbed "the cupcake incident", but on the other hand, he wanted to be a good friend and listen to his teammate.

Raven let out a muted sigh as she tucked her hair behind her ear. "I feel like I'm... _experiencing _more than I should..." she began, fleetingly making eye contact.

Beast Boy swore his heart stopped as he weighed her words in his head, deciphering what she could have meant.

"Or maybe, I'm not experiencing _enough_," she continued, obviously as unsure of her feelings as he was. Though, she wasn't exactly admitting to having the same feelings as him. Or to having feelings at all.

"It's like, I _think _I know what I need, but I still feel empty... yet, overwhelmed..." Her features hardened slightly, as if she were angered by her own confusion. "It doesn't make sense."

It really didn't. Beast Boy had no idea what she was talking about. But he tried to understand - he _needed _to.

"So, what you're saying is," he began hesitantly, "you don't know what you're... feeling... so you don't know how to... feel it?" He scrunched his face up in confusion, hoping she'd agree with his deduction, or at least clarify her own.

She remained silent for a moment, undoubtedly mulling over his words in her head, before she let out another sigh. "Maybe?"

Beast Boy suddenly felt conflicted - here he was, moping about his own feelings, when Raven was having a hard time as well. And sure, maybe she was using him, and she sure as hell was stretching the definition of friendship, but it was because of her own struggle. She didn't know how to express herself properly.

Or maybe he was giving her too much credit - after all, it was kind of hard for him to be pissed at her when she was looking at him with her wide, amethyst eyes. Why did he have to be so effected by them?

"You know, a lot of people feel that way, too," he mused suddenly, hoping to distract himself from how close they were sitting, and maybe stray the subject towards what had almost happened earlier. "Like, it's pretty common, actually. I know I get confused by my feelings sometimes, too..."

Raven seemed genuinely interested in what he was saying, which was oddly terrifying. He hadn't expected her to be so attentive.

"You just get confused in general, Beast Boy," she teased with a small smirk.

But he merely rolled his eyes before playfully pushing at her shoulder. "Come on! Can't you not insult me for like ten seconds?" he laughed, shaking his head in amusement.

Raven let out a subdued chuckle, before giving him a warm look. "I'm just not used to you being serious," she admitted, smiling at him kindly. "It's... It's nice."

Beast Boy felt as if something were clawing at his insides, and suddenly found it hard to breathe. He couldn't understand how Raven could make him go from angry and resentful to, well, whatever he was feeling now. It was ooey and gooey and made him want to do something manly, just so he wouldn't feel like a school girl with a crush. Wasn't it the girl who was supposed to get butterflies?

Raven continued to smile at him, and he realized that it was happening again. He was getting tunnel vision - he couldn't see anything but her. The air began to feel heavy, and he was suddenly getting closer to her. Or was she leaning towards him?

He decided that the logistics of it didn't matter; no, the only thing he could focus on was the way her lips began to part, and how her breath smelt faintly of cinnamon. And that she was so close now - only a few more inches, and they'd -

"What was it you wanted to talk about?"

Beast Boy watched as her lips moved, before her words finally found their way into his brain. Furrowing his brows in confusion, he tilted his head slightly. What _had _he wanted to talk about? It was important, wasn't it?

"It can wait," he decided hastily, his eyes fluttering shut as he closed the distance between them.

He could already tell that this kiss was totally different. The way she practically melted against him; how her lips danced against his as she clawed at his uniform, pulling him closer. It wasn't clinical or needy - it was passionate. It was exciting. It was pure bliss.

It ended too soon.

He felt the air rush back into his lungs as she pulled away, her nose barely brushing his. He could still taste her on his lips - a mixture of spice and something sweet - honey, perhaps? Licking his lips to better assess it, he opened his eyes slowly, somewhat surprised to find her so close.

Her eyes were still shut, and her breathing was shallow and quick, sending puffs of air against his face.

"I don't think that helped, either," she sighed, leaning away from him in defeat.

Beast Boy felt as if he had been stabbed in the chest; it was a strange, soul crushing pain. He could feel his face drop into a look of disbelief as he stared at his teammate before him; her eyes still shut as she furrowed her brows in thought.

_It didn't... _

He tried to swallow down the lump in his throat, but it was too dry. He could barely breathe, his chest hurt so much. It was like his ribs were collapsing in on his lungs while repeatedly stabbing at his heart.

_The kiss... it didn't..._

He successfully stifled a gasp for air, terrified that Raven would open her eyes and see him like this, but at the same time outraged by the fact that she didn't realize what she was doing to him.

_It didn't mean anything. _

Somehow, he was able to shove down the pain and slip on his usual, goofy façade; and just in time, too. Raven opened her eyes, giving him a quizzical look as she absently toyed with the ends of her hair.

"I'm sorry," she deadpanned, looking away as she continued to think. "I... I thought that would have worked, but..." She glanced back at him, her expression as confused as ever. "I guess I'm not feeling that, either."

Forcing a smile, Beast Boy nodded his head in understanding. "That's too bad - things were starting to get good," he joked, an empty feeling replacing his hurt.

Raven snorted in amusement as she shot him a playful glare. "Ha, ha. You're hilarious."

"You finally admit it," he bit back, his fake smile unwavering. He couldn't believe how dense she was being - and she called _him _an idiot.

What the hell was wrong with him? How could he just let her toy him along like this? He _knew _nothing was ever going to happen between them; that they'd never be more than friends. And yet, he'd build himself up - give himself hope - just to let her tear him back down with a dismissive sigh.

What was wrong with him?

She was giving him a small smile, though he couldn't remember how to enjoy it. All he knew was that her smile was just an empty promise; another thing that made him fall back into the cycle. It was just luring him towards pain and heartache - and he was almost to his limit. The part of him that kept on hoping was slowly getting smaller, and he knew that he couldn't go on like this.

But the part hadn't vanished completely. There was still a glimmer; a possible light at the end of the tunnel. He couldn't give up now - especially when she was all he had at the moment.

It took almost all of his strength to keep smiling.

* * *

I'm a terrible person, omg. Like, this chapter was such a roller coaster! You guys probably hated me at first, then slowly began to love me again, and then I just went and ripped your hearts out. But what's a girl to do?

I'm really sorry lol. I already have the ending all mapped out, and I can tell you it's not as depressing as this chapter. Maybe it'll even be seen as a happy ending? :P

Anywhoo, please refrain from hurting me with your words. I enjoy kind reviews, with happiness and excitement, despite the fact that this chapter was one big ball of wtf _howdareyou_. But if you're familiar with my other stories, you probably know that I spew out fluff and happiness, and this story will experience some eventually. Probably.

:D


	18. Unaware

I regret to inform you that despite my prolonged, unforeseen absence, I _still _do not own the Teen Titans.

* * *

Raven must have known something was up - she was an _empath_, after all. And Beast Boy wasn't stupid; he figured he must have been broadcasting his disappointment throughout the tower, and despite her objection on invading privacy, she _had _to have sensed it. Otherwise, her sudden tiptoeing around him had no explanation.

He tried to act normal. He smiled, laughed, and even teased her when she tripped during training. He joked with Kid Flash and argued with Jinx during dinner, and even kept up his goofy demeanor when Robin called to update everyone. Nobody noticed how his smile didn't reach his eyes, nor did they notice the way he stared at the ground and shuffled on his feet. Nobody noticed... except Raven, apparently.

He was so _stupid _to think she wouldn't figure it out - that he could get away with liking her; that it wouldn't compromise their arrangement or ruin their friendship. He was a total _idiot! _Of _course _she would figure it all out! She was the smartest person he had ever met. She was probably insulted that he thought he could pull one over on her.

How could he have been so careless? He should have never agreed to helping her - it only caused trouble. And frustration. And a little bit of pain.

It was awful.

Beast Boy ran his hand down his face in exasperation as he neared her room. It was nearing midnight, and he knew that avoiding her any longer would only confirm her suspicions. She had been wary of him since their last kiss, which had been hours ago. Even though it felt like days had passed. She didn't say anything of it, but that was all he needed to know. If she wasn't talking, something was up.

He was suddenly in front of her door. Standing alone in the hallway, in his black sweats and tattered t-shirt. His green eyes staring blankly at the smooth metal surface of her door. He didn't have to knock.

It slid open with a hiss, the light from the hall pouring into her otherwise dark room. Raven was sitting on her bed, her legs crossed and her eyes closed. He wondered if he had interrupted her meditating, but she said nothing as he crossed the room towards her.

He could see her chest rise and fall as she took calming breaths, lulling him into a false sense of security. If she figured out he liked her, she wouldn't be _calm _\- she would be _livid_. Maybe he was just being paranoid?

His eyes traveled back to her face as he cautiously climbed into her bed, and he swore his heart stopped when he realized her violet irises were staring back at him.

Awkward couldn't even begin to describe the silence that settled between them.

Beast Boy continued to slowly settle himself in her bed, though his gaze never left hers. She didn't look upset, nor angry. Not even annoyed, really. Her face was placid, and her eyes were blank. If anything, she looked a little confused. And maybe that was a good thing? Maybe she couldn't figure out what it was that he was feeling; maybe his secret was still safe.

"Your aura's off."

_Or not._

Beast Boy couldn't even hide his horrified surprise as he continued staring at his teammate, unsure of what to say. Of _course _his aura was off - his heart was breaking! He felt used and betrayed and embarrassed - it wasn't _his _fault he couldn't muster up his usual happiness. If anything, it was _her _fault.

"Sorry?" he replied insincerely.

Raven regarded him skeptically as she lowered herself onto the bed beside him, her legs still crossed. She looked calm - a good sign - but Beast Boy was still wary.

"Are you..." she seemed to be struggling for the right thing to say, which was totally uncommon, "...okay?"

_No. _

No, he most definitely _wasn't _okay. But he had come to terms with that awhile ago. So, instead of lying, or even admitting it, he merely shrugged.

A foreign look of concern passed across Raven's face; something Beast Boy found oddly comforting.

"Are you upset about... something?" she asked hesitantly.

Still opting neither to confirm nor deny, the changeling shrugged once more.

"Is..." she began timidly, fleetingly breaking eye contact, "Is it about Starfire?"

Beast Boy couldn't even find the energy to be annoyed with her, and instead mulled over her question. The latest update on their alien friend consisted of good news, though he could hear the worry in Robin's voice. So far, her condition had been improving, and the healers on her planet even had an idea of what her illness was, though they hadn't made a proper diagnosis. So, the titans weren't necessarily relieved, but they did feel a bit better.

So, no; he wasn't upset about Starfire - but that was a good excuse.

"Kinda?" he replied, his voice rising an octave, though Raven didn't seem to notice.

Instead, she tilted her head to the side, silently urging him to elaborate.

Letting out a labored sigh, Beast Boy attempted to sound convincing. "Like, I'm glad she's feeling better, but it seems a little too good to be true, you know?" he admitted, feeling genuinely surprised at how genuine he was sounding. In fact, he wasn't even lying about that. Starfire getting better was throwing him for a loop.

"I know what you mean," Raven agreed, startling the changeling from his thoughts. "But, it makes sense; if it's an alien illness, who better to cure it than the residents of her alien planet?"

Beast Boy nodded in agreement, though his mind was slowly drifting back to his own problems. Here Raven was, conversing with him like normal; like they were just two friends, worrying about their teammate's health.

And, bitterly, he realized that that was _exactly _what Raven thought they were. It was what they were supposed to be.

But, like everything else in his life, Beast Boy had to go and screw it all up.

"Good point," he replied halfheartedly, feeling his energy drain as his mind went over all the events of the day. He hadn't ever felt so elated, and then so downtrodden all in the same day - it was exhausting.

"Well," he began lazily, mentally noting that Raven had been about to say something, but not concerning himself with it, "I'm off to bed - training was pretty brutal." He then climbed out of her bed, again ignoring her confused expression as he headed towards her door. "Hopefully we get more good news in the morning! Night, Rae."

The door had barely hissed open when Raven found her voice.

"Wha-? Where are you going?" she asked, her monotone wavering ever so slightly.

Cursing under his breath, Beast Boy slowly turned back around, feigning nonchalance. "I'm about to hit the hay, Rae," he answered, smiling at his rhyme while ignoring the way her brows knitted in bewilderment.

"But..?" she began, obviously at a loss for words.

"But, what?" Beast Boy asked, again smiling at his unintentional rhyme. "I'm completely exhausted, dude! And when that happens, most people find sleeping to be the best course of action!"

He tried to tell himself it _wasn't _satisfaction that he felt as Raven's face morphed between confusion and disappointment. After all, that wasn't a very _friendly _thing to feel.

"I thought you would..." He hadn't ever heard her so completely frazzled to the point where she couldn't even form a proper sentence, but he realized he kinda liked having that power.

"Thought I would, what?" he pressed, casually leaning against her door frame.

Raven continued to stare at him blankly, and he felt as if he could see the wheels turning in her head. She hadn't ever experienced _him _doing the disappointing, and a small sense of pride filled his chest. Despite feeling bad about what he was doing, he couldn't hide his self-satisfied smile. It was about time the tables had turned.

"Never mind," Raven replied dully, finally breaking eye contact as she pulled her covers over her lap. "Goodnight, Beast Boy."

Now having to tell himself it wasn't _regret _that filled his core, Beast Boy shot his teammate a soft smile, before exiting her room.

* * *

Waking up in his own bed was strange, though oddly comforting at the same time. He had slept pretty well, and even experienced a few pleasant dreams, though they all involved Raven.

But he decided not to dwell on his aching heart so early in the morning, and hurriedly changed into his uniform. He couldn't remember if they had morning training today, and figured that it was best to get up and check. But, as his door slid open and he stepped into the hall, he was immediately pushed back into his room.

Confused, startled, and mildly amused, he watched as Raven's face twisted into a look of annoyance as the door hissed behind them. But before he could ask what she was doing, he found that his lips were suddenly preoccupied.

Raven kissed him forcibly, clinging to the front of his uniform with one hand while the other tightly gripped his hair. Worried that she was about to give him a bald spot on the back of his head, Beast Boy tried to pull away, but found the smaller girl was surprisingly strong.

It was then that he noticed they were moving backwards, towards his bed, and he barely had time to brace himself as he fell onto it with Raven on top of him.

He couldn't say that he wasn't enjoying what was happening - in fact, he was _really _enjoying it. Knowing that Raven needed him filled him with hope, though the fact that she didn't necessarily _want _him diminished it quite a bit.

As that thought bounced around in his head, Beast Boy again tried to break the kiss, but was still met with difficulty. In fact, he was barely able to get out a muffled "Rae?" when the empath began to tug at his uniform.

A sense of urgency washed over Beast Boy as he felt Raven's hands fiddle with the clasp of his uniform, and he finally found the willpower to push her away. She was still on top of him, though their lips were no longer connected, and he could finally breathe. And ask what the hell was going on.

"What are you doing?" he questioned shrilly, his shock blatantly apparent on his face.

Raven stared at him with wide eyes, as if she were as confused as him. "I... I don't know," she admitted, lying limply against his arms as he continued to hold her up.

That much was obvious, though the green titan was wise enough not to say that out loud. It seemed as though Raven was surrendering to her emotions, and had momentarily stepped back while they took the reins.

"Am I pushing you too far?" she asked, concern barely visible in her eyes as a placid expression slipped over her face.

He wasn't sure if she was - he couldn't deny that he liked where this was potentially heading, but he also knew it wouldn't be fair to either of them if he let it continue.

"Kinda..?" he admitted, his face flushing slightly. "I mean, this was really unexpected, so early in the morning. I haven't even brushed my teeth yet..."

"I noticed," Raven deadpanned, causing his face to turn redder. A few moments of awkward silence passed between them, before Raven pulled herself off of him, and opted to instead sit beside him. "You can go brush them, and I'll wait here," she suggested with a shrug.

Knowing that that _wasn't _the reason he was feeling uncomfortable, Beast Boy hesitated. Yesterday's kiss was still fresh in his mind, as was the hurt, and he couldn't set it aside. But he also knew he couldn't stand aside and watch Raven struggle with her power. Nor could he willingly pass up kissing her - especially when she was in a mood like this.

The whole situation was entirely unfair, and he felt anger pool in his stomach, though it wasn't directed towards her. He wanted to say no, but he wanted to say yes. It was frustrating and confusing and unbelievably hard. And it didn't help that she just sat there innocently, her wide, amethyst eyes blinking patiently as she waited for him to act. He hated how she hadn't a clue of what was going on in his head - how she was respectful enough _not _to invade his thoughts and emotions, and instead sit there, unaware of the inner turmoil she was causing him. Unaware that he couldn't decide whether he hated her or loved her.

Unaware that he wasn't sure which was worse.

* * *

Soooo... I have gotten countless PMs asking me if I'm still alive... and sadly, no. I am not. I have died. I won't go into details, but it has indeed happened. I am dead. That's why I've taken so long to update - I had to learn how to manipulate my ghostly energies into being able to open my laptop and type - a tiring feat, I might add. It's really hard to push the shift key _and _a letter at the same time, and editing is basically out of the question, since the mouse pad is basically useless. I have just barely mastered not falling through my floor, so I'm actually pretty impressed with how far I've gotten. Being a ghost is kinda cool.

On a more serious note, life just kinda happened, you know? I moved across the state with my boyfriend, which meant new city, new apartment, new job, and new friends, so I haven't had the mindset to type, since so much has been going on. But I've finally found some spare time, and I'm gonna try to be more consistent with my updates! I'm really sorry this has taken so long! Forgive me? :3

I'm also sorry this chapter was so short - I had to reread my story to remember where I was even going with this lol. But I figured something was better than nothing, so... yeah...

If you don't hate me completely, maybe leave a review? :)


	19. Knowing

I have an idea for a drinking game! Take a shot every time I add an unnecessary disclaimer to one of my stories! Actually, on second thought... don't do that. You would die. Please don't die.

* * *

Wiping the excess toothpaste off of his mouth, Beast Boy gave his reflection a hard look.

Objectively, he looked normal. Maybe a bit tired, but it was pretty early. His hair was disheveled, as usual, and his wayward fang poked out of his mouth as he smiled. He still looked like Beast Boy.

He just didn't _feel _like it.

Raven was unknowingly (or, at least, so he _hoped_) turning his world upside down - and not in the fun, amusement park kind of way. It was in the chaotic, nothing-is-right way. The way that makes someone feel really, really shitty.

But, what made him feel even _worse _was the fact that he was _letting _it happen. He was _letting _her destroy him.

It needed to stop.

The changeling looked himself in the eyes, determination etched across his face. It was going to end today. It had to.

Turning away from the mirror, Beast Boy exited his bathroom and made his way down the dark corridor. And though it was a relatively short walk to his room, he felt he had all the time he needed to come up with what he was going to say.

_Raven, I love you. _

Okay, that probably wasn't the best idea. Shaking away that thought, he tried to think of something else.

_Raven, I can't help you anymore... _Yeah, that was better, wasn't it? _...because I love you. _

Cringing again, Beast Boy stopped a few feet in front of his door. Maybe he needed a little more time to think on this.

He wasn't sure if he actually _loved _her - he just knew his feelings were no longer platonic. In fact, they hadn't been platonic in a long time. But love seemed too strong of a word. _Interested_, maybe? He was _interested_ in her; in becoming _more_. He wanted to explore his new feelings, if she maybe felt the same?

But that was a big 'if', and he wasn't sure if he wanted to know how she felt. Maybe his feelings _shouldn't _be his excuse.

He could claim that he was worried about the long-term effects their arrangement could have on their friendship. Or that his animal instincts were making his role nearly impossible. Or he could even lie, and say he was interested in someone else.

But all those excuse were sure to warrant questions.

Letting out a defeated sigh, Beast Boy took the last few steps towards his door. It seemed that he would have to wing it - something he was occasionally good at doing.

As his door hissed open and he stepped into his room, he felt the start of his excuse rise in his throat, only to die there as he caught the look on her face.

Raven was sitting on the end of his bed, her eyes wide and staring off at nothing. What appeared to have been her communicator was strewn across her lap in several pieces, the circuits still sparking.

Beast Boy's stomach dropped.

"Rae?"

"It..." she began after several moments, her voice barely above a whisper. "It was..."

Feeling his concern outweigh his better judgement, Beast Boy slowly approached the half-demon. "What's happened, Rae?"

She was still looking past him, her amethyst eyes seeing nothing as he neared her. Ignoring the shrills of protest in his mind, the changeling sat himself beside his teammate, gently brushing the destroyed device off of her lap and onto the floor, before taking the empath's hand.

At his touch, she seemed to have snapped out of her trance as her head whipped towards his, her face contorted into a look of horror.

"Starfire..." she whispered, tears threatening to spill from the corner of her eyes.

Beast Boy froze at the alien's name, his thoughts bouncing in his head as he imagined the worst. What could cause Raven to look so shocked?

"W-what about her?" Beast Boy gulped, feeling the color drain from his face as he looked into Raven's eyes.

"It was... my fault."

Her words doing nothing to comfort him, nor making the situation make any sense, Beast Boy found himself squeezing the empath's hand.

"What was your fault?" he asked shakily, his mind still racing. "What are you talking about? Is she okay?"

"She's... fine."

Beast Boy allowed himself a moment of relief, almost laughing out loud during the process. "Holy shit, Rae - you can't be all ominous like that!"

But the half-demon obviously did not share his relief as she continued to stare at him.

"It was _my _fault, Beast Boy," she repeated, giving the green titan a somewhat incredulous look.

Still not following along, Beast Boy cocked his head to the side in confusion. "Uh, what was?"

It looked as if the vein in Raven's forehead was about to burst.

"Everything!" she exclaimed, pulling her hand out of his as she stood from the bed. Beast Boy followed suit, grabbing her shoulders and turning her around to face him.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

Shooting him one of the fiercest glares he had even seen, Raven attempted to rip herself out of his hold.

"Starfire's sickness!" she growled, unable to escape his embrace as he held on tighter. "It was _my fault!_"

Beast Boy hoped his bewildered look would be cause for her to elaborate.

"I must not have healed her properly," she began, either reading his mind or his expression. "And... and something got infected. My guess is that huge cut she got on her leg - you know, the one from that last battle with Plasmus?"

Racking his brain, Beast Boy was barely able to recall what Raven was talking about. Plasmus had been wreaking havoc downtown, and in their combined attempt to knock the villain out, Starfire had somehow gotten caught up in the blast and was thrown through an office window. It had happened months ago, and the alien didn't seem all too fazed by it. In fact, Raven had been the one to insist on healing it, as there had been quite a bit of blood.

"I thought you healed that?" Beast Boy replied, his grip on her loosening as she calmed down.

"I-I thought so, too..." she breathed, her voice catching in her throat. "B-but apparently, we hadn't properly cleaned the wound. I mean, it was in the middle of battle, and Starfire insisted on returning to the fight, and I didn't know where Cyborg was, and she just kept bleeding, so I... I..."

Raven seemed to gasp for air as a single tear slipped down her cheek, before she fell into Beast Boy.

"I just closed the wound," she whimpered, burying her face into the crook of Beast Boy's neck. As if on instinct, Beast Boy wrapped his arms around her as her body softly shook. He had never seen Raven so distraught.

Ignoring the fluttering in his stomach as Raven's arms slipped around him, he attempted to sort out what she had just told him.

Starfire was fine - which was awesome. Raven hadn't elaborated much on that, but he figured that Robin had called her with an update. Which, apparently, consisted of the news that Starfire's illness was due to some kind of... infection? A treatable one, most likely. But the cause of the infection stemmed from an improperly healed wound - the one Raven was referring to. And, judging by the destroyed communicator scattered across the floor, Beast Boy guessed that Robin alluded to the same thing.

Meaning, Raven now saw herself as the one responsible.

"This isn't your fault, Rae," Beast Boy cooed, gently running his fingers through her hair as he attempted to soothe her. "We're super heroes - and that comes with some hazards."

He wasn't sure if his words were helping, but it seemed the empath was calming down. She was no longer shaking with silent sobs, and nothing else had exploded, though a few of his things were encased in dark energy.

"And Starfire's going to be okay," he continued hesitantly. "I mean, otherwise a lot more than just your communicator would have exploded..."

At that, Raven pulled away from him enough to lightly smack his chest. "Shut up."

Her voice had returned to its usual monotone - a good sign.

Feeling exceptionally proud at successfully comforting his teammate, Beast Boy sent her his signature grin.

"See, Rae? Everything's fi-"

But his words were cut off as Raven pressed her lips against his, pulling herself flush against him.

Beast Boy's eyes widened in surprise, though it seemed the rest of his body went into autopilot. He soon found himself moving backwards, towards his bed, his brain screaming at him to stop as his eyes slowly fluttered shut.

He fell onto his mattress, barely able to appreciate its softness as his teammate shifted her weight on top of him, her lips moving with urgency against his. He could hardly think straight as she tugged on his hair, until she suddenly pulled away, her legs still straddling him as her eyes stared blankly at the wall behind him.

Their breathing was in sync, despite both their hearts beating sporadically. Beast Boy watched in confusion as Raven's eyes began watering again, though her face remained as blank as ever. But before he could even remember how to speak, she had captured his mouth once more, the tears in her eyes landing on his face as she kissed him.

Ignoring the part of him that wanted to continue, Beast Boy found the strength to remove his hands from her waist and towards her shoulders, before gently pushing her away.

Their eyes locked immediately - his filled with confusion, hers full of tears.

"W-what's wrong?"

He didn't mean for his voice to crack, but seeing her like this scared him.

"Too many emotions to filter through," she deadpanned, as if her crying on him was the most normal thing in the world. "Just multitasking, I guess."

Beast Boy was more than slightly taken aback. "_Multitasking?_" he repeated, his brows furrowing.

She didn't even have the decency to look guilty - just angry. "It's oddly effective. Can't you just let it be?" she snapped, finally breaking the spell.

Feeling his stomach boil with rage, Beast Boy pushed Raven back as he sat himself up. "No, Raven. I can't," he growled, his face only inches from hers as she sat on his lap.

She quirked an eyebrow at his tone, which only made him angrier. He wasn't sure where it all was coming from, but it seemed like he was the one about to explode.

"I've been a good friend. Hell, I've been a _great _friend! I've put up with your mood swings and conditions and haven't asked for anything in return!" he began, doing his best not to shout.

Her placid demeanor wavered slightly, though she didn't make a move to interrupt him. He wasn't sure if that was a good thing.

"And yet, you still treat me like shit!" he continued, his voice rising. "Just because you're not allowing yourself feelings doesn't mean I'm doing the same! News-flash, Rae - I can't just turn off my emotions at will! I'm not some cold-hearted, stone-faced_ bitch_ like _you!_"

He yelled that last part, despite their close proximity. But he couldn't help it - it had felt _so good. _And even though a part of him felt horrible for what he said, the adrenaline of it all kept him focused on his anger.

Raven's blank expression was replaced by a slightly shocked version, though he was hoping for a bigger reaction. A full minute of silence passed between them, unless you counted Beast Boy's heavy breathing as he attempted to regain his composure. As the weight of what he said fell onto him, he began to feel a twinge of regret; he hadn't meant to resort to insults. He began to hope she'd say something, for the urge to apologize was beginning to overcome him.

That is, until her signature smirk began to tug at her lips.

"Are you finished?" she deadpanned, before crashing her lips against his once more.

And in that moment, Beast Boy realized how much he hated her as he kissed her back, before flipping himself on top of her and pushing her onto his bed. Her legs wrapped around his waist, and she began to awkwardly tug at his shirt. He took the hint, and quickly pulled it off of him before throwing it to the ground, their mouths only separating for a moment.

He tried to remember his anger as her fingers danced across his back, but the chills she sent down his spine proved to be far too distracting, and his lips were better suited to kissing hers than they were to talking. In fact, he only allowed them to part as she pulled her shirt over her head, before tossing it to the floor beside his.

And he knew that they were moving too fast as he tugged at the waistline of her pajama pants. He knew that he shouldn't have ran his fingers along the curve of her back; he knew he shouldn't have purred at the sound of his name leaving her lips as he kissed her neck.

And he knew he shouldn't have said it; that he should have kept his mouth busy against her skin. But he couldn't stop himself as the words slipped through his lips.

"I-I think I love you, Raven."

He knew he shouldn't have said it - that was an undisputed fact. What he didn't know, however, was that she would teleport out from under him without so much as a warning.

* * *

Kind of a short chapter again, I know! And I took a while to update again - so sorry! I'll try to be more consistent, seeing how this story is coming to an end. And in regards to my other stories, I plan on finishing them... eventually lol

Anywhoo, obviously quite a bit happened in this chapter! The apparent source of Starfire's illness, Raven's weird emotional roller coaster, and Beast Boy's accidental confession! So many things to maybe leave a review over? ;P


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